Landscape, with Two Muleteers 1656

Editor: Here we have Karel Dujardin's "Landscape, with Two Muleteers," an etching. It feels like a scene of everyday labor. What aspects of this work stand out to you? Curator: Consider the materials. The copperplate etching process itself allowed for reproducible images, commodifying landscape. How does the labor of the muleteers connect to the labor of the printmaker? This wasn't just about aesthetic beauty. Editor: That's interesting. So, the act of creating the art is also part of the story? Curator: Precisely. The availability of prints like these fueled a market, and the subject matter reflects a romanticized view of rural life, divorced from the actual hardships of the labor depicted. Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way, thanks! Curator: My pleasure. It's all about considering the means of production.