Hemelvaart van Christus en verkiezing van Mattias before 1646

Editor: So, this is “Hemelvaart van Christus en verkiezing van Mattias,” made before 1646 by Christoffel van Sichem II. It's an engraving, so a print. It's pretty small and dense, a lot going on in the composition. I’m struck by the stark contrast and linear style. What catches your eye? Curator: The medium itself is so important here. Engraving was a highly skilled, labor-intensive process, think about the workshop involved! It democratized imagery somewhat by allowing for multiples, but the labor contrasts sharply with the spiritual subject matter. How does the process affect the image? Editor: I see what you mean. It must have taken painstaking effort to achieve all of those details, to create the layers... Curator: Exactly. Notice the clear distinction between the 'divine' or celestial sphere above, and the earthly one below? Both the subject matter and the physical process speak to hierarchical systems – divine order mirrored in social and material structures. How did the distribution of prints factor into these power dynamics? Editor: Good question. The relative ease with which prints can be replicated probably gave them wide distribution at the time, but this makes it hard to gauge how the target audience was affected, or who that audience was. Curator: Consider the material constraints. Was this meant for personal devotion, or broader dissemination? Was it a luxury item, or something more accessible? These material factors reflect the function and accessibility of religious narratives in that time. Editor: Right, that changes how we view the work. By considering the materials and method, it gives more information about who created it, what the context was. Curator: Precisely. Shifting focus from pure aesthetic appreciation towards its creation, distribution and the society within which it was crafted allows for an understanding beyond face value.