Mystiek huwelijk van de heilige Catharina van Alexandrië 1775

Valentine Green created this mezzotint print, "Mystiek huwelijk van de heilige Catharina van Alexandrië", in 1775. It was a time when the print market was booming, and reproductive prints after popular paintings allowed for wider distribution of artworks to a growing middle class. Here, Green adapts a painting of Saint Catherine's mystical marriage to the infant Christ. The print flattens the painting's textures and tones into something that can be easily reproduced. But notice how the subjects retain a certain emotional resonance. This hints at the cultural values of 18th-century Europe, which emphasized the importance of religious faith and sentimentality. The print also highlights the economic structures of the art world at this time, with its dedication to wealthy patrons and consumers. We can imagine the print being displayed in a domestic setting, where it might have served as both a decorative object and a reminder of social status. It offers a window into the ways in which art, commerce, and identity were intertwined.