The Miraculous Draught of Fishes 1540 - 1550

Curator: Today we’re examining "The Miraculous Draught of Fishes," an engraving created sometime between 1540 and 1550, now residing here at The Met. Editor: The energy is striking. It has this swirling effect, like the chaos of the water is drawing everyone’s eye in different directions, towards some center we can't quite grasp. Curator: Precisely. It depicts the biblical narrative where Christ enables his disciples to catch an enormous number of fish, symbolizing a turning point from their lives as mere fishermen to apostles. We see these figures actively engaged in this act, a clear visualization of labor and transformation. Notice the tooling. Editor: Yes, there's a remarkable control of line, creating tonal variation through density and direction of hatching. The cityscape in the background feels less about specific buildings and more about establishing depth through contrast. How did the artist decide to create a background with the city while all the action goes on the foreground? Curator: It’s thought the print was done after a design by Raphael, quite possibly done to popularize a painting which he was commissioned to execute for tapestry manufacture. Its scale and wide availability mean that we have a work reflecting high craftsmanship for mass consumption. Editor: Interesting, but focusing on composition, the figures are arranged almost in planes – a foreground struggle, then the central drama in the boats, balanced against this more placid, reflective discussion on the right. It produces both action and repose in equal measure. Curator: The engraver chose printmaking because of its ability to create multiple originals cheaply. Disseminating religious teachings widely and shaping beliefs through these reproducible images. The choice is about the accessibility and impact, I would claim. Editor: And what a striking image for its time, creating complex dynamics from a restricted tonal range and a limited series of marks, as a way of illustrating an epic tale with clarity and strength. It achieves a dynamic balance through those lines! Curator: So, thinking about labor, faith, production, and distribution, hopefully you too can see that this engraving opens us to consider not only the visual appeal, but also to think critically about our history. Editor: I find that through form and composition, this engraver managed to infuse even humble pen lines with an unforgettable tension that makes one wonder at their story.