God the Father and Eleven of the Twelve Apostles 1742

Giovanni Marco Pitteri made this print of God the Father and Eleven of the Twelve Apostles using engraving, a printmaking technique dating back to the 15th century. Pitteri would have used a tool called a burin to carve lines directly into a metal plate, inking the plate, and then pressing paper against it to transfer the image. Notice the meticulous detail achieved through this process, especially in the rendering of texture: the flowing hair and beard, the folds of fabric, and the subtle gradations of light and shadow, all created by the density and depth of the engraved lines. Engraving demands precision and patience, a real skill that is the result of intense labor. In its time, the printmaking process enabled the wide distribution of images and ideas. It made art more accessible, and in its own way, challenged existing hierarchies of art and skill. Considering the material processes involved gives us a new perspective from which to consider the artwork's cultural and social significance.