Medal Engraving 1767

Editor: This is an engraving entitled "Medal Engraving" by A.J. de Fehrt, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It seems to depict various tools for engraving medals. What strikes me is the meticulous detail; what historical narratives are embedded in this image? Curator: This image offers a glimpse into the historical context of artistic production and labor. The tools shown here – the hammers, chisels, and dies – represent a specific kind of craft, one often linked to power and commemoration. Consider the history of portraiture on medals. Who was being memorialized and whose stories were being told? Editor: So, it's not just about the tools themselves, but who had access to them and what messages they were creating? Curator: Precisely. The ability to control these tools and the narratives they produce was often concentrated in the hands of a select few, often reinforcing existing social and political hierarchies. What do you think about that? Editor: That's a great point; the image becomes a commentary on power, not just a depiction of tools. I’ll remember that in the future.