H. Andreas 1608 - 1649

Curator: Standing before us is "H. Andreas," an engraving by Claude Mellan, dating somewhere between 1608 and 1649. It's part of the Rijksmuseum collection, a stunning example of Baroque printmaking. Editor: It hits you right away, doesn't it? A mix of calm and, well, total agony. Saint Andrew holding his cross, that faint halo, and in the back, you almost miss it... guys strung up on crosses. Sobering! Curator: Indeed. Mellan’s mastery is evident in his use of line. Observe how he renders the folds of the drapery and the textures through varying the thickness and density of the engraved lines. It's a true study in contrast. Editor: Right, it’s not just about pretty lines though, is it? The composition—Andrew so steady in the foreground, practically monumental. Then the tiny figures of the other martyrs in the distance. It shrinks them, amplifies his looming martyrdom… Curator: A potent interpretation. The subject matter aligns perfectly with Baroque sensibilities—the dramatic presentation of religious themes and the exploration of human emotion within a spiritual context. The use of linear perspective also contributes to the overall dynamism. Editor: Absolutely. It's kind of ingenious, packing this sense of grand narrative into something so contained. It’s not just a saint portrait; there’s a whole story being whispered, almost against its will. Makes you wonder about Mellan's intention, his own sense of faith, staring back at him as he scratched the copper plate, right? Curator: It also testifies to the important role that prints had at the time to circulate specific imagery across Europe and further propagate the message within given communities, and not necessarily religious only. Editor: I’m definitely carrying something different away than I expected.