Saint Elizabeth of Thuringia c. 1475 - 1480

Curator: Here we have Israhel van Meckenem’s "Saint Elizabeth of Thuringia," an engraving dating from about 1475 to 1480. Editor: Well, right off the bat, it's giving me a very somber, almost unsettling vibe. The stark lines, the heavy drapery, and the expressions...it’s all rather intense. I mean, what's this guy doing hiding in her dress? Curator: Yes, the visual weight definitely leans towards gravity. Consider the expert manipulation of line; Meckenem employs dense, parallel hatching to articulate volume and texture, particularly evident in the saint's robes. Note the intricate detail in the patterning—a testament to the Northern Renaissance aesthetic. Editor: Okay, technique aside – and yes, the robes are meticulously rendered – the narrative aspect is what grabs me. We have the serene saint juxtaposed with…is that a leper? Or some other afflicted individual? It feels like a raw depiction of charity, almost painfully so. There’s an exposed quality to this emotional exchange, a really charged atmosphere! Curator: Precisely. Saint Elizabeth was renowned for her acts of charity. This engraving likely aims to encapsulate that devotion visually. Notice, for example, the dual crowns present; one held demurely by the Saint, a symbolic gesture. It offers commentary on both earthly and heavenly authority. Editor: Crowns all over! What I find moving, though, is her downcast gaze, like she's overwhelmed by the suffering around her despite her royal status. You can practically smell the humility; the stench of sickness! I love how Meckenem puts the "holy" and the "unholy" close, so confrontational! It gives me the creeps but it works so perfectly. Curator: Yes, that is a sensitive and astute reading of the image, encapsulating well the engraving's symbolic power and the emotionally charged juxtaposition inherent within the work. Editor: Indeed, Meckenem challenges, even disturbs! Makes you think about the cost of empathy. That is what this engraving makes me contemplate, in all its meticulously rendered detail.