Martyrdom of Saint Félicitas c. 16th century

Editor: This is Étienne Delaune's "Martyrdom of Saint Félicitas," an engraving in the Harvard Art Museums. It's a pretty graphic depiction, but I am curious, what does it say to you? Curator: The engraving's process is key. The labor involved, the tools, the social context of printmaking - this circulated ideas. Consider the consumption of such images; what did it mean to viewers then? Editor: So, you're focusing on the physical creation and distribution rather than just the religious narrative itself? Curator: Precisely. How the materials and the act of production shape and disseminate the story, and its social impact. What do you make of that? Editor: I see now that the choice of a printmaking medium itself contributed to the dissemination of these stories, giving it a purpose that may not have been present in other forms. Thanks!