Frieze c. 17th century

Editor: This is a Frieze by Johann Ulrich Kraus. It shows two friezes packed with classical figures. The execution is detailed, but the overall effect feels a little impersonal. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, let's look at the means of production. This is an etching, a process involving acid, metal plates, and a printing press. Consider the labor involved in creating multiples. How does this mass production affect the value and reception of the classical imagery depicted? Editor: That's interesting. I hadn't thought about how the printing process itself informs the meaning. Curator: Exactly! It transforms the artwork from a unique object to a commodity circulated within a specific social and economic context.