Illustration til "Halvhundrede Fabler for Børn" af Hey 1834

Editor: This is an engraving from 1834 by Martinus Rørbye, an illustration for "Halvhundrede Fabler for Børn" af Hey, meaning "Fifty Fables for Children". It has a very intimate, domestic feel to it. The details in the shading give real volume to the forms in such a small format, it’s wonderful. What catches your eye in this piece? Curator: I'm immediately drawn to the materials used – or, more accurately, how Rørbye coaxes so much texture and dimension from engraving, a reproductive medium that relies on skillful labor. Consider the context: the early 19th century saw the rise of print culture alongside industrialization. This image wasn't intended as high art; it's a humble illustration in a children's book, made using mass production methods, that were disseminated for widespread consumption. The very labor invested in creating the copperplate or woodblock becomes interesting, don't you think? Editor: Absolutely. I hadn't really considered that aspect. It's interesting to think of engraving, usually associated with replicating art, as a process with its own form of artistic labor. Curator: Indeed. How does the availability and reach of such printed material change social values, maybe? What is it doing, culturally? Editor: It brings the story and its themes to a wider audience, certainly. A family who buys this book will own this image. Curator: Precisely! So we consider not just artistic talent or beauty here, but material impact, circulation, the very consumption of images. In an age fixated on the handmade versus machine-made, consider the impact that had and continues to have! Editor: I never really thought about children’s book illustrations having so many connections to larger concepts of manufacturing and economics. That definitely changed the way I think about prints. Curator: Me too! There’s much to think about how art functions when we move past the purely aesthetic.