The test of fire, the monk Peter, the disciple Saint John Gualbert, passing through the flames from two pyres unharmed, various spectators to either side, from 'Frontispiece and four scenes from the life of Saint John Gualbert' (Frontispice et quatre vignettes pour une vie de Saint Jean Gualbert) 1640

Editor: This print by Stefano della Bella from 1640, titled "The test of fire, the monk Peter, the disciple Saint John Gualbert, passing through the flames…", is striking. The detail achieved with engraving is remarkable. It looks incredibly dramatic – all those tiny figures witnessing this event. What strikes you when you look at this? Curator: I'm immediately drawn to the print's method of production. The fine lines of the engraving – think about the tools used, the engraver’s labour, and how this image was replicated. The multiple impressions speak to wider distribution and consumption of this imagery within 17th-century society, right? How does this process affect how we see the depiction of a miraculous event? Editor: It does give it a sense of mass consumption, even propaganda. I wonder how accessible these prints were and who was its intended audience. Did the process democratize the art? Curator: That's precisely the right question. Consider the paper itself, its manufacture, the distribution networks. Even the stylistic choices – the dramatic, theatrical composition common in Baroque art – were dictated by consumer demand. The artist had to produce something marketable using resources that were available to them at the time, including access to certain materials, technologies, and networks of exchange. The subject matter, a saintly test by fire, reinforces social order, doesn't it? Editor: Yes, it makes you think about who held the power in society to create such an impactful image! This examination moves away from a purely biographical approach about the artist and considers so much more. Thank you. Curator: Indeed, it lets us delve into the socio-economic framework of art production in that era and it's impact on culture and identity.