Asia c. 19th century

Editor: Victor Adam’s “Asia” depicts a scene of figures on horseback, seemingly from another time. It’s interesting how the artist chose to portray this scene. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I’m immediately drawn to the production of this print. Consider the labor involved in its creation, the artist, the printer, and the distributors. And let's reflect on the very materiality of the print itself, paper and ink, both with their own histories. What social context allowed for this object to even exist? Editor: That's fascinating, considering how different the production of art is today. Curator: Precisely! It highlights the changing relationship between art, labor, and consumption.