Christus bij Maria en Martha Possibly 1776 - 1808

Curator: Looking at this image, it's remarkable how immediate and engaging it feels despite the sparse, sketch-like quality of the engraving. Editor: Indeed, there's a subdued domestic drama unfolding within these lines. The interplay of shadow and light gives it an intimate feeling. What is it exactly? Curator: We are looking at "Christus bij Maria en Martha," or Christ with Mary and Martha, possibly dating between 1776 and 1808. It’s attributed to Ignace-Joseph de Claussin, etched around 1807, judging from the inscription. The piece is worked in ink on paper, and combines engraving, pencil, and possibly etching to achieve the final effect. Editor: Claussin really coaxes texture from simple materials, doesn't he? I'm drawn to how the different clothing of Mary and Martha seem to relate so clearly to the class division suggested in this moment. Curator: Absolutely. Considering the engraving, one sees the clear diagonals composing the background—suggesting structure, depth, even containment. They lead us, with very purposeful design, right back to the emotional nexus: Christ’s gentle gesture, mediating between two opposed value systems. Editor: To be sure, the lines feel clean and economical. But this simplicity belies the sheer labor of production and reproduction necessary. Someone had to spend their life and labor in reproducing, multiplying and making art for others. How would you say the message regarding devotion is framed by this labor of reproducing devotion? Curator: The artist certainly used the medium of the print to amplify a powerful theological argument. And your attention to labor expands the piece's meanings nicely, beyond the purely theological into questions of production, labour and access. Editor: It’s compelling to realize the layered materiality in a modest print like this. What began perhaps as drawing from life translated into a form of accessible devotion to a growing population of believers. A real study of devotion both thematically, and through the daily efforts involved in its production. Curator: Well put! Reflecting on this small image has expanded my perspective on the narrative possibilities inherent within line, tone and the balance the artist brought to bare. Editor: And for me, it is also a useful reminder that devotion is not solely expressed on grand canvasses, and it reminds me of how art reaches audiences outside traditional elite channels, especially via forms that embody everyday, reproductive labor.