Christ raising the son of the widow outside the gate of the city of Naim 1565 - 1600

Aliprando Caprioli made this print of Christ raising the son of the widow sometime in the late 16th century. It's made using the intaglio process, where lines are incised into a metal plate, then filled with ink and pressed onto paper. Look closely, and you'll see how the density of the lines creates areas of dark and light, and a striking illusion of depth. Caprioli would have spent hours meticulously cutting into the metal to create this image. It’s worth considering the labor involved, the sheer patience required to render such detail. In Caprioli’s time, printmaking was essential for disseminating images and ideas. The labor of the artist allowed religious narratives like this one to reach a wider audience. This print shows how a traditional craft like engraving could serve the social function of spreading religious beliefs. In its own way, Caprioli's image bridges the sacred and the secular.