Saint Gerard c. 17th century

Editor: This is Jacques Callot's "Saint Gerard," a small etching. It's so detailed, but also looks mass-produced, somehow. What stands out to you about the materiality and the way it was made? Curator: Callot's etchings are fascinating because they sit at the intersection of artistry and industry. The labor involved in creating the printing plate, the acid-biting, the repetitive printing process itself—it all speaks to a burgeoning market for religious imagery. How does the print medium itself influence the reception of the religious message? Editor: So, the means of production affect its value and meaning? It's interesting to think about mass production in the 17th century in this way. Curator: Precisely. The material conditions of its creation are inseparable from its devotional purpose. It makes you wonder about its consumption.