Birth of the Virgin c. 17th century

Editor: This delicate etching by Jacques Callot, "Birth of the Virgin," depicts a bustling scene. It feels so intimate, yet grand with all the figures. What strikes you most about it? Curator: I notice the emphasis on the material conditions of the event. Look at the tools, the labor of the midwives, the domestic setting. It suggests a deliberate grounding of the sacred event within the everyday realities of 17th-century life. Editor: That’s interesting! So it is more about daily life than about religion. Curator: Perhaps it uses religious imagery to explore the social and economic structures surrounding childbirth at the time. How does the level of detail influence your perception? Editor: I see how the etching makes me focus on these material details. Thanks for pointing that out. Curator: My pleasure, it is an interesting lens to view the work from.