Heilige Catharina met zwaard en palmtak 1500s

Jacopo de' Barbari created this engraving of Saint Catherine with a sword and palm branch around the turn of the 16th century. Engraving is a printmaking technique where the artist carves lines into a metal plate, applies ink, and then transfers the image onto paper. Looking closely, you can see the fine, deliberate strokes that define the figure's drapery, facial features, and the textures of the sword and palm. The material qualities of the metal plate allowed for a high level of detail. Engraving was closely linked to the rise of the print market, allowing for the relatively cheap distribution of images. This was no small undertaking. The engraver had to be precise and skilled, possessing the ability to translate complex images into a series of lines. It took an immense amount of work to create the design and the metal plate from which this image comes, a testament to the skill and labor involved in early printmaking.