Episode 22: Saint Bernardino heals a boy with a facial sore; Episode 23: The people make daily supplication to Saint Bernardino; Episod e24: Saint Bernardino cures a diseased woman, from "The Life of Saint Bernardino of Siena" 1610 - 1639

Editor: We're looking at "Episode 22: Saint Bernardino heals a boy with a facial sore; Episode 23: The people make daily supplication to Saint Bernardino; Episode 24: Saint Bernardino cures a diseased woman, from "The Life of Saint Bernardino of Siena"" created between 1610 and 1639 by Bernardino Capitelli. It's an engraving. What strikes me is the almost theatrical staging of each episode within the larger scene. The architectural space feels constructed to highlight the saint’s actions. What compositional elements stand out to you? Curator: Indeed, the engraving excels in its spatial organization. Capitelli masterfully uses linear perspective to create depth, drawing the viewer's eye through the arches and into the distance. Note how the artist employs the orthogonals of the architecture—the receding lines of the columns and archways—to converge at a vanishing point, creating a convincing illusion of space on a two-dimensional surface. It lends structure, balance, and rhythm to the scenes portrayed. Do you notice a correlation between the position of Saint Bernardino and how that helps arrange the narrative in a structural sense? Editor: Absolutely. He’s centered in each scene, a focal point anchoring the composition, although placed asymmetrically within the space, generating some visual tension. This arrangement highlights the actions related to the Saint: healing the sick and leading supplications. Does the medium -- engraving -- have bearing on your analysis? Curator: Indubitably. Engraving demands meticulous attention to line and detail. Notice the fineness of the lines used to render the figures’ drapery and facial expressions. It would also contribute to the relatively controlled tonal range -- blacks and whites in a dramatic juxtaposition. These features of technique contribute to an artwork of stark clarity of meaning. Editor: So, the structural and spatial organisation emphasizes meaning -- what do you take away from that overall? Curator: Primarily the image demands order. Compositionally and symbolically, it is designed to display this in relation to divinity: balance, hierarchy, purpose. Editor: I appreciate how your focus on the form opened up new ways to understanding this artwork. Curator: And I've come to appreciate how a trained response is not always the best! Your original comments opened avenues for discussion that my formal response might have omitted!