Apostel Jakobus de Meerdere (Major) met pelgrimshoed en pelgrimsstaf 1517 - 1527

Marcantonio Raimondi made this print of Saint James, the Greater, sometime between 1500 and 1534. It was made using engraving, a printmaking technique that requires a skilled hand and meticulous process. Raimondi would have used a tool called a burin to carve lines directly into a copper plate. The depth and spacing of these lines determine the amount of ink held, and thus the darkness of the printed line. Look closely, and you can see the variations in line weight that give the figure its form and volume, especially the draped clothing. Raimondi's skill in capturing the texture and weight of the fabric through simple lines is impressive. Prints like these played a crucial role in disseminating images and ideas. They allowed for the mass production and distribution of visual information. The labor-intensive nature of engraving contrasts sharply with the relatively low cost and wide availability of the final print, indicative of early capitalist modes of production. By understanding the labor that went into this print, we can better appreciate its historical and cultural significance.