Design for a Tabernacle, Plate 2 from the series 'Tabernacle' 1745 - 1755

Curator: Here we have a "Design for a Tabernacle, Plate 2 from the series 'Tabernacle'" created between 1745 and 1755 by Franz Xavier Habermann. It’s currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As an engraving, its lines suggest a very ornate structure. What are your first thoughts? Editor: My initial impression is of profound sacredness and drama, achieved through the baroque style—all the swirling embellishments build to the central, lit space for the host. It is very ornate, it gives off the vibe of powerful emotion, or a deeply moving spiritual experience. Curator: I’m drawn to think about how this piece functioned as a reproducible blueprint, guiding skilled artisans in constructing monumental religious furniture. It highlights a key function of drawings and prints at the time: to disseminate designs and stimulate production. Think of the material resources required, the labor involved... Editor: Precisely. That level of detail indicates its immense symbolic value. The cross, the IHS monogram... the imagery speaks directly to core tenets of Christian faith, providing a visual anchor for ritual and devotion. Curator: Absolutely, but also the social function of the tabernacle as a key furnishing: to signal status. Materials for the wealthy were carefully considered based on the status they reflected. What’s fascinating to me is how these prints served as guides but might not have been adhered to perfectly by craftsmen; each translation of the design into material form brings slight change. Editor: I can definitely appreciate that nuanced interpretation, I remain captivated by the ways visual languages shape and are shaped by cultural contexts. This work is so fascinating as both symbol and material guide! Curator: A great work. The process of dissemination offers us insights into commerce as well as craft; thinking about labor, design, production—and ultimately value—offers fresh approaches. Editor: Agreed, truly beautiful ways of thinking about our visual world!