H. Clara en H. Franciscus van Assisi before 1619

Editor: This print, "H. Clara en H. Franciscus van Assisi" by Wierix, was made before 1619. It features portraits of Saint Clare and Saint Francis of Assisi. It’s interesting how the lines are so delicate, considering it's an engraving. How would you approach analyzing this piece? Curator: From a materialist perspective, the act of engraving itself is significant. The process, the tools, and the labor invested shape the final image. The choice of engraving suggests a deliberate effort to create multiple reproducible images, aimed at broader consumption, which highlights the distribution of religious ideology. Editor: So, you’re saying the *means* of making it is key? Curator: Exactly. Consider the copper plate itself, a valuable resource. Who commissioned this? Were these prints aimed at a wealthy elite, or were they intended for wider, more popular consumption? How does the scale of production reflect religious and political power? These engravings were commodities embedded in specific economic relationships. Editor: It’s not just *what* is shown, but *how* it was made and disseminated. How would that affect the meaning, say, for a person at that time versus today? Curator: Back then, owning a print like this would perhaps signify one’s access to a religious and artistic world and adherence to certain doctrines. The act of display could be an indicator of social status or religious affiliation. Today, we might see it through the lens of art history and connoisseurship, somewhat distanced from its original devotional intent. But looking closely at its material origin helps us resist that distance. Editor: This gives me a whole new perspective! The print is no longer just a religious image, it’s a record of materials, production, and economic power of the time. Curator: Indeed. By examining these aspects, we uncover the intricate network of relations behind even seemingly simple images.