Jesaja, Jeremia en Ezechiël 1579 - 1643

Curator: This engraving, "Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel," made sometime between 1579 and 1643 by Jan Snellinck, presents an intriguing study in contrasts. Editor: It's fascinating! The starkness of the print medium really emphasizes the figures’ robes and the textures of their props – especially that SAW next to Isaiah! What can you tell me about it? Curator: It’s precisely that juxtaposition of the sacred and the mundane that grabs my attention. Consider the labor involved in producing such prints during that period. Copperplate engraving was a skilled craft. Snellinck is not just depicting religious figures; he’s also showcasing the tools and materials associated with different walks of life: the saw representing Isaiah’s martyrdom, Jeremiah’s rod, Ezekiel with the temple model. What does it say about their society’s perception of labor? Editor: So, by representing the implements alongside the prophets, Snellinck invites us to think about the work it took to disseminate religious ideas. The physical act of creation, of producing these prints, is part of the artwork's meaning. Curator: Exactly! Think about the audience who would’ve purchased such prints. They weren’t just consuming an image; they were participating in a system of production and distribution. Each impression from the plate bears a material connection to the artist's hand, the engraver's skill, and the social dynamics of the time. It challenges a strictly “spiritual” interpretation, right? Editor: That's a fascinating way to see it. I was initially just focused on the religious symbolism, but thinking about the materials and the means of production really opens up a new dimension. Curator: Precisely. It is in how the object came to be that the real art lives.