Beloning c. 1605

Raffaello Schiaminossi made this small print, Beloning, around the turn of the 17th century, using engraving. The process involves cutting lines into a metal plate, inking the surface, and then wiping it clean so that ink remains only in the incisions. The plate is then pressed onto paper, transferring the image. What is brilliant about this technique, is the artist's graphic vocabulary. With different types of cuts, he creates this sense of light, shadow, and texture. Notice the figure's voluminous cloak, or the crown she holds aloft. Engraving like this demanded intense skill and precision. The engraver had to master a whole suite of tools, and develop the dexterity to control them. This was no easy task! We should remember that this kind of image was a luxury good at the time it was made, involving the skilled labor of artists, artisans, and printers. So while it is easy to overlook works on paper, take a moment to consider the amount of work involved in its production.