Maria met het Christuskind 1597 - 1599

This print of the Virgin and Child was made in Venice by Johann Sadeler I, around the year 1600, using the technique of engraving. Look closely, and you can see how the image is built up from thousands of tiny lines, cut into a metal plate. This was a highly skilled process, demanding years of training, with each line carefully considered to create the illusion of light, shadow, and texture. The printmaking process allowed images to be reproduced and disseminated widely, connecting devotion with the burgeoning world of commerce. The very act of making such prints involved a kind of labor. The engraver, though a skilled artisan, was also a cog in the machinery of mass production, catering to the demands of a growing market for religious imagery. This print thus represents an intersection of faith, craft, and the emerging forces of capitalism in early modern Europe. It is a potent reminder that even the most sacred images are touched by the realities of labor and production.