St. Francis (?) 1646 - 1739

Editor: We're looking at an engraving titled "St. Francis (?)" from sometime between 1646 and 1739, currently residing here at the Met. The texture of the lines that build up the form are really striking. What catches your eye in this print? Curator: It’s compelling to consider the economic conditions and the labor involved in creating this print. Look at the uniformity of line, a testament to the engraver’s skill. Each mark represents hours of work. The question then becomes: who was consuming these images and what was the socio-economic structure supporting their production? Editor: So you're thinking about this from a production and consumption angle? Curator: Precisely. Was this image intended for private devotion or wider dissemination? How does the relatively accessible medium of print democratize or alter the message versus, say, a large-scale oil painting commissioned by the elite? The Latin inscription suggests an educated audience. Consider, too, the source of the copper plate. Was it new, recycled? Who controlled that market? Editor: That’s fascinating; I hadn't considered the plate itself. Does the quality of the lines suggest anything about the engraver's skill level and therefore their position within the printmaking economy? Curator: Exactly! And what about the paper itself? The watermark, if present, would further contextualize the print's origins and circulation. We’re essentially examining the material footprint of belief. The content - the figure, the cross - those become secondary to the network of making that supports it. Editor: That makes me look at the cross in a totally different light – less as a symbol and more as a… manufactured object. Curator: Indeed. This refocuses our attention away from simple piety to the hands that shaped that message and the marketplace that distributed it.