Saint Bibinia c. 17th century

Curator: This image is Jacques Callot's "Saint Bibinia," a small etching measuring about 7.6 by 4.9 centimeters. Editor: It's a rather stark scene. The graphic, almost brutal, quality is immediately striking. What can you tell me about its making? Curator: Callot was a master printmaker. Note the precise, economical lines achieved through etching. This wasn't just artistic skill; consider the socioeconomic context of printmaking in disseminating religious imagery. Editor: Absolutely. And Bibinia's narrative as a virgin martyr is key. Placed within patriarchal structures, her suffering speaks volumes about the policing of women's bodies and beliefs. Curator: The physicality is palpable; the figure's vulnerability highlighted by her captor's stance. The materiality of the whip itself becomes a tool of oppression. Editor: It forces us to confront the violence inherent in religious persecution and its lasting impact on marginalized communities. Curator: Indeed, Callot’s technique and subject matter provoke intense engagement with material and historical conditions. Editor: The etching's small scale amplifies the horror, demanding close inspection of the violence and its meaning.