Saint John 1589

This is Hendrick Goltzius’s Saint John, made in the late 16th century. It's an engraving, meaning that the artist used a tool called a burin to manually cut lines into a metal plate, which was then inked and printed. The material of the print – paper – is critical. It allows for the multiplication and distribution of images. Before photography, printmaking was the mass media of its day, enabling artists to reach a broad audience. Look closely at the incredible detail Goltzius achieved. The density of the lines creates a rich tonal range, from the deep shadows of the background to the subtle modelling of Saint John's face. The textures, from the saint’s curly hair to the stormy sky, are all evoked through the precise control of the burin. Consider too the labour involved. Each line represents a deliberate decision and a skilled hand. This wasn't just about artistic expression; it was about craft, about mastering a demanding process to communicate ideas to a wide audience. It blurs the lines between high art and skilled production.