St. Agnes 

Curator: Welcome. We are looking at a pen and ink drawing by Albrecht Durer, entitled "St. Agnes". Editor: I am struck by the ethereality, despite the weight of the linework. The sketch has a fragile yet potent quality, particularly with that curious figure hovering over her shoulder. Curator: This image invites exploration through a feminist lens, really questioning the role of female saints. Agnes was martyred for her faith; what power dynamics do you see at play? She looks both regal and melancholic. The lamb is her typical attribute, so she is both herself, but in a strange way also an early depiction of someone being victimized by religious dogma. Editor: The line quality definitely supports the dichotomy. See how Durer uses incredibly fine hatching to model the lamb’s wool, and in contrast, a thicker, bolder stroke for her gown. And note the careful distribution of light and dark to convey depth, pulling focus to St. Agnes, but also toward that floating… apparition. Curator: I read the "apparition" as a symbol of patriarchal constraint—a heavenly body almost dictating her fate. Look at her downcast eyes; it conveys a lack of agency but with the look of a budding agency that has been shut down too soon in her young life. Agnes rejected marriage, which then resulted in her execution for rejecting marriage, but that defiant act in itself should read as rebellion against the status quo. Editor: That juxtaposition, visible right there in Durer’s technical rendering of tone, offers a strong narrative. What really holds my attention is Durer's signature 'AD' monogram, almost casually placed at the bottom. Even that is presented with equal care as he did Agnes’ dress. Curator: Thinking about intersectionality, Durer captures both class and gender roles of that time. What is deemed holy versus what is a political act—sometimes the lines aren't as clear as we like to think they are. Editor: Yes, that intersection makes his use of the pen's tonal range to denote a powerful ambivalence rather remarkable, even timeless. Thank you for pointing this all out. Curator: Thank you for teasing out Durer’s line work—there is much complexity present with just pen and ink, and by extension, a world of possibilities in how we consider artwork, then and now.