The Fourth Wise Virgin n.d.

Curator: We’re looking at "The Fourth Wise Virgin", an engraving of undetermined date, by Martin Schongauer, held here at the Art Institute of Chicago. Editor: There’s a melancholic grace about her, don't you think? The figure seems to float, as if barely tethered to the earth. That long, flowing garment enhances the ethereal feeling. Curator: Absolutely. It’s typical of Schongauer’s printmaking style—exquisite detail achieved through precise lines on the plate. The subject is, of course, derived from the Parable of the Ten Virgins, which became a hugely popular subject for Northern artists. It's likely the image was reproduced extensively, thus shaping religious sensibilities. Editor: What strikes me is how individualized she is. Even though she’s part of a larger narrative, there’s a deep sense of personal contemplation in her gaze. What do you make of her vessel with the burning flame? Curator: The flame she holds, seemingly within a type of goblet, is vital. These images usually functioned Didactically – the burning flame being symbolic of faith. Editor: The folds and drapery…the incredible texture created on paper through the engraving technique...it transforms the allegorical into something touchingly human, even. It pulls me into a story I only vaguely understand. Curator: I think that points to the brilliance of printmaking at the time. It democratized art, even if those reproductions carried with them a deeply religious message or served other powerful interests of the Church or rising merchant classes. Editor: And the medium, print, gave it reach! It also strikes me that with Schongauer’s distinctive signature inscribed, each print itself becomes an emblem of value. Even today! I almost feel that melancholy starting to wear off, by the way. It's like I, too, am carrying the torch now. Curator: That’s wonderfully said. And it's an apt summary of the layered and enduring appeal of works like this. Editor: Absolutely. What a striking woman.