The Virgin Teaching St John 1766

Editor: Here we see "The Virgin Teaching St. John" by John Hamilton Mortimer. It's quite detailed. The lines almost seem to vibrate with energy. What strikes you most about its composition? Curator: The engraving demonstrates a studied attention to line and form. Notice how the receding parallel lines create tonal variation in the background. The texture becomes more pronounced and creates depth. Editor: So, the lines create not just outlines, but also volume and space. Curator: Precisely. Mortimer manipulates the linearity of the medium to achieve a sophisticated pictorial effect, focusing our attention on the subjects, their forms defined and set against the structured ground. Editor: I see now how the structure supports the figures. Thanks for pointing that out.