Saint Simon c. 1500

Master FVB created this engraving of Saint Simon around the late 15th century. It's a print, meaning it was made by incising lines into a metal plate, inking it, and then pressing it onto paper. Look closely, and you'll see how the image is built up from many tiny lines. The material is humble, but the effect is quite powerful. In fact, the success of this print relies on the engraver's skillful manipulation of line to create a sense of depth and texture. The saint's robes, for example, are rendered with incredible detail, the lines mimicking the way fabric drapes and folds. Prints like this one were relatively affordable at the time, a result of the industrialized printing process. The image of Saint Simon could be widely disseminated, playing a role in shaping popular religious imagination. It reminds us that art is not just about individual expression, but also about the social and economic conditions that make it possible.