Saint William, the Hermit c. 17th century

Editor: So, this is Salvator Rosa's "Saint William, the Hermit." It seems to be a print, and I'm struck by how the figure almost blends into the wild, overgrown landscape. What can you tell me about the context of this work? Curator: Rosa was fascinated by wilderness and its social implications. During the Baroque era, there was this emerging idea of the “sublime,” particularly the awe-inspiring qualities of nature. How might this image and its accessibility as a print challenge the era's aristocratic art system? Editor: That's interesting! It makes me think about how printed images could circulate ideas outside of the traditional art world. Curator: Exactly. And that accessibility gave artists like Rosa opportunities to engage with broader audiences and perhaps even critique the social order. Is the hermit a man fleeing society and its systems? Editor: I never considered it that way, but that makes a lot of sense! Curator: Seeing art through this lens really opens up new perspectives.