Drie Maria's bij het lege graf 1629

Editor: Here we have "The Three Marys at the Empty Tomb," an engraving made in 1629 by Christoffel van Sichem II. The starkness of the black lines really jumps out. What do you see when you look at this print? Curator: I'm drawn to the process of its making. Look at the deliberate cuts into the block—probably wood, given the visible grain—and the labor involved. Each line a decision, each area of hatching representing hours of work. The contrast emphasizes the materiality of the print, highlighting the social context in which printed images disseminated religious narratives to a wider, potentially less literate, audience. Editor: So, you're focusing less on the religious aspect of the scene, and more on its production and consumption? Curator: Precisely. Consider how the print medium itself democratized religious imagery. Before this, such depictions might only have been accessible in grand paintings for the wealthy elite, yet a print like this brings the sacred story into the homes of a burgeoning middle class. This recontextualization of a sacred story reduces art to a consumable good. How might this affect the art that we consider "high art?" Editor: I guess that challenges the idea of the artist as this solitary genius. It was a whole industry involved in making and selling these prints. Also, because they’re reproducible, maybe the original design isn’t the ultimate, valuable object? Curator: Exactly! It undermines the auratic power of the singular artwork. Also, think about the social implications—this act of sharing these artistic interpretations could also influence social and political power in a meaningful way! It's more than just decoration; it's communication. What did this conversation reveal to you about art and history? Editor: I now understand how to consider a work through its creation, audience, and, honestly, almost as a product itself, not just a precious object. Thanks!