Larger Provence Rose c. 1770 - 1775

Curator: We’re now standing in front of "Larger Provence Rose," a print by John Edwards, dating from around 1770 to 1775. The medium involves etching and engraving with watercolor. Editor: It's lovely; so delicate and precise. There's an almost scientific quality in the detailed rendering, softened by the gentle hues of the roses. It makes me think of quiet observation. Curator: Precisely! Edwards, like many artists of his time, catered to a burgeoning market interested in both art and scientific illustration. These prints weren't just decorations; they served a social purpose, illustrating botanical knowledge for an expanding audience, perhaps displayed in parlors to signify refinement. Editor: I see what you mean, although there is an inherent tension. I am looking closely at the rendering of each petal; Edwards has clearly tried to depict its three-dimensionality in a convincing manner using shading. However, there is something distinctly stylized in the way the flowerhead is rendered. It's not quite realism, is it? More a conventional ideal of beauty. Curator: Ah, the social function dictates form! Printmaking allowed for a standardization and widespread distribution, shaping the way knowledge itself was disseminated. This process makes Edwards an early participant in shaping visual culture through mass production. This romanticist ideal, shaped by the labour behind producing this work, also drove market values. Editor: Yes, the romantic aspect really surfaces in the use of colour, doesn't it? See how the washes create these very gentle gradations, softening all the edges? Also, look at the paper itself; the gentle aging, that off-white tone; it brings such an aura of serenity to the work. The artist truly captured that in their thoughtful choice of the materiality and tone. Curator: True! Even in botanical studies we see social messaging in materiality – demonstrating luxury consumption via this print medium, revealing both class status and scientific interests, while simultaneously serving a function through knowledge. Editor: It’s fascinating to consider the various lenses through which we view this elegant rose today. Curator: Agreed. Thinking about it has deepened my understanding, framing its deceptively simple elegance.