Nawoord van de prentmaker c. 1585 - 1590

Curator: Here we have “Nawoord van de prentmaker,” or “Postscript by the Printmaker,” created around 1585-1590 by Philips Galle. It’s currently housed at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: This is so interesting; it is literally a page of text. What strikes me is how different this is from our concept of art; its reliance on craftsmanship, particularly the detailed engraving, makes it seem like a manual, a work of labor. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Absolutely. Galle, here, foregrounds the means of production. Look at the *materiality* of the print: the paper itself, the ink, the engraved lines. It isn't just about conveying an idea, but demonstrating skilled labor and artistry through reproduction. How might the production and distribution of such prints have affected the perception of art and authorship at the time? Editor: Well, the printing press obviously democratized information. I suppose prints like this could elevate the status of craft and manual work but also threaten more "traditional" artists who worked with unique, non-reproducible media, no? Curator: Exactly! Consider the *social context* of printmaking. It's both a commercial enterprise and a means of disseminating knowledge and ideas. The ‘artist’ becomes less of an individual genius and more of a producer within a broader system of labor and exchange. Do you think this blurring of boundaries changes our understanding of Galle's intention? Is it art or advertisement? Editor: It is both, right? And focusing on that tension – that the labor and the message go hand in hand – makes me appreciate how prints worked back then. Galle’s ‘postscript’ made me consider the whole industry around printmaking and artistic consumption at that time.