Christus aan het kruis 1851

François Forster made this engraving depicting Saint Anne, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Joachim. Engraving is an intaglio process; the image is incised into a metal plate, ink is applied, and then the surface is wiped clean, leaving ink only in the engraved lines. High pressure is then used to transfer the image to paper. The crisp, precise lines we see here are characteristic of this process. In Forster’s time, engravings like this one were widely produced and distributed, functioning much like printed photographs today. They provided visual access to important paintings for those who couldn't see the originals, but the hand-made quality of engraving also gave them a unique status as collectable art objects. Consider the skill and labor required to create this intricate image—each line carefully cut by hand. This piece shows how reproductive technologies have often been creatively embraced, not just seen as copies.