Vaas met masker 1783 - 1831

Editor: Here we have "Vaas met masker," or "Vase with Mask," an engraving from sometime between 1783 and 1831 by an anonymous artist, placing it firmly in the Neoclassical period. The precision is quite striking; I'm really interested in its creation. What strikes you about it? Curator: Well, beyond the obvious Neoclassical style, what interests me is the print itself as a commodity. Look at the inscription at the bottom: "Se vend chez P.J. Larmint." This isn’t just art for art’s sake; it’s advertising, it’s a product being sold by a merchant, P.J. Larmint. Editor: Ah, that's fascinating. It almost demystifies the artistic process. Were engravings often used in this way? Curator: Absolutely. Prints, including engravings, were reproducible and relatively inexpensive. They were tools of dissemination. What would the relationship between the merchant, the artist, and the consumer look like? How would the cost of the print reflect upon social norms in the time? In thinking this way we ask: Whose home might this have adorned, and how does its production relate to labor and consumption within that era? Editor: So, we're thinking about the engraving not just as a pretty image of a vase but also as a record of commerce, class, and even production techniques? Curator: Precisely. And let's not forget the material reality of its production. Think of the engraver's labor, the cost of copper plates, and ink; and the physical networks through which these things circulated. This "Vaas met masker" then becomes an emblem of its time, far more than just a simple vase. Editor: This perspective opens up a new appreciation for it, highlighting the art piece's nature and origin.