Hemelvaart van Maria c. 1612 - 1616

This print, "Hemelvaart van Maria," or "The Ascension of Mary," was created by Theodoor Galle in the late 16th or early 17th century. It’s made using the intaglio process, likely engraving or etching, where lines are incised into a metal plate, and then filled with ink to transfer an image onto paper. Look closely, and you’ll see the careful labor required to produce this image. The entire composition is built from a dense network of precisely placed lines, which together create tonal depth. The texture of the clouds, the folds of Mary's robes, and the expressions on the faces below are all rendered through this laborious process. Engraving was a skilled craft, involving long apprenticeships and specialized tools, and prints like this would have been relatively expensive. The print’s cultural significance lies in its mass production of religious imagery at the time. This allowed for the dissemination of religious ideas and artistic styles to a wide audience, transforming traditional arts into commercial products. Understanding the material process helps us appreciate the craft involved, and reflect on the print's place in broader social, religious, and economic contexts.