The Labourers in the Vineyard (The Parables of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ) 1864

Sir John Everett Millais made this engraving, "The Labourers in the Vineyard," using a metal plate, a sharp tool called a burin, and ink. It’s a reproductive print, translating his painting into a more accessible form. Millais was a member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, who sought to revive the sincerity and detail of early Renaissance art. Here, that sensibility takes shape as meticulously rendered lines describing figures from the biblical parable. Notice how the density and direction of the engraved lines create shadow and volume, bringing a tactile quality to the scene. The choice of engraving is significant. It allowed for mass production, aligning with the print market of Victorian England. This connects the spiritual subject matter with the commercial realities of artmaking. The very act of engraving, requiring skilled labor and precise execution, mirrors the themes of work and reward depicted in the image. Ultimately, "The Labourers in the Vineyard" reminds us that art is not just about the image, but also about the materials, the making, and the wider world of labor and production that gives it form.