The Holy Family with Saint John the Baptist 1595 - 1611

This print, depicting The Holy Family with Saint John the Baptist, was made by Jean-Baptiste Barbé in the early 17th century. He used the technique of engraving, cutting lines into a copper plate with a tool called a burin, inking the plate, and then pressing it onto paper. The resulting image has a distinctive graphic quality. Look closely, and you’ll see how the composition emerges from a dense network of hatched lines, carefully modulated to create areas of light and shadow. This wasn't a quick process; each line had to be deliberately incised, demanding tremendous skill and patience. But why engraving? In this period, prints like these played a crucial role in disseminating images widely, acting as a kind of early mass media. They brought religious subjects into people's homes, reinforcing social norms. In this context, the labor-intensive process of engraving becomes significant – an investment intended to yield widespread influence. It's a reminder that even seemingly simple images carry complex cultural and economic weight.