Heilige Maria Magdalena als kluizenares 1590 - 1619

Editor: So, this is "Heilige Maria Magdalena als kluizenares," or Saint Mary Magdalene as a hermit, created between 1590 and 1619 by Boëtius Adamsz. Bolswert. It's an engraving. What strikes me is the contrast between the almost luminous figure and the darker background. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, immediately my attention is drawn to the labour inherent in this engraving. Consider the sheer time and skill it would take to create such fine lines, to build up tone and texture through the physical act of carving into a metal plate. And, what's more, engravings like these weren’t created for the elite; they served to disseminate images widely, making them accessible to a broader audience, didn't they? Editor: Absolutely! The print medium meant this image could be reproduced, spreading the image of Mary Magdalene and the associated religious ideas. Curator: Exactly! It raises interesting questions about the economics of art production in this period. Who was commissioning these engravings, and how did the artists sustain themselves? Also, let's look at the "materials." We think of art often in immaterial ways but engraving depends on particular metals and papers, how do these impact durability or longevity? Editor: That makes me think about the social context. Engravings were crucial in spreading visual information, almost like early photography, so they were commodities themselves. And thinking about that context and labor changes my view of the finished piece! Curator: Precisely. It reminds us that even ostensibly "religious" art is deeply entwined with material conditions and modes of production, and the dynamics of artistic and wider economies of labor. I suppose what I have now, is something completely altered. How about you? Editor: I am going to think about all those labor hours when I see these again and remember their use! Thank you.