The Holy Family with Elizabeth and the infant Saint John the Baptist, the Virgin nursing the infant Christ 1630 - 1647

Curator: This engraving, "The Holy Family with Elizabeth and the infant Saint John the Baptist, the Virgin nursing the infant Christ," made between 1630 and 1647 by Jan Witdoeck, strikes me as meticulously crafted. What catches your eye initially? Editor: Well, the sheer level of detail for an engraving is impressive. All the different textures achieved only using lines! How can the process inform our reading of this religious scene? Curator: Consider the means of production: engraving demands labor-intensive work, translating an image through physical effort. In a religious context, does this intense labor elevate the depicted scene, transforming it into a crafted, almost 'manufactured' image of piety meant for wider distribution? How might the market influence Witdoeck’s choices? Editor: So, the fact that it's a print makes it more accessible and democratic compared to a painting only available to a patron? The labor put into this engraving allows more people to access this kind of imagery? Curator: Precisely! The very act of engraving, of replication, democratizes the image, bringing the Holy Family into more homes. Further, think about the choice of the Virgin nursing. Breastfeeding became more visually prevalent due to social changes affecting views of motherhood. Does that labor become commodified through the printing press? Editor: Interesting. It makes me consider how images, even religious ones, were affected by materials, economics, and distribution of Witdoeck's time. Curator: Exactly! By examining these aspects, we can look past simply subject matter.