Maria met Kind en de heilige Franciscus van Sales 1739 - 1780

Francesco Bartolozzi created this print, "Maria met Kind en de heilige Franciscus van Sales," using etching. Note the composition, which is vertically oriented, dividing the scene into heavenly and earthly realms. The upper section, filled with clouds, hosts the Virgin Mary and Child, surrounded by cherubic figures and divine light. Below, Saint Francis of Sales gestures towards a figure writhing on the ground, symbolizing the defeat of evil. The angel hovers above the defeated figure. Bartolozzi masterfully uses line and shadow to create depth and texture, employing hatching and cross-hatching techniques that define forms and give a sense of volume. This play of light and dark enhances the print's dramatic quality and guides the viewer's eye through the narrative, reinforcing the religious themes with compositional structure. The print offers a structured meditation on faith, redemption, and the triumph of good over evil, all articulated through the formal language of visual art.