Saint Andrew kneeling in prayer as he is led to the cross, after Reni 1650 - 1680

Carlo Cesio created this print, "Saint Andrew kneeling in prayer as he is led to the cross, after Reni," using etching and engraving techniques. These processes involve considerable labor. The artist would have first covered a copper plate with a waxy ground, then drawn the design with a sharp needle to expose the metal. Acid would then bite into these lines, creating grooves. Engraving refines this process by using a burin to directly cut lines into the plate. This combination allowed Cesio to achieve a wide range of tonal variations, seen particularly in the rendering of the figures and the landscape. Prints like this one facilitated the distribution of artistic ideas in early modern Europe. Consider the social context: while Cesio was a skilled artist, his labor also contributed to a system that relied on reproducing and circulating images. The act of making and distributing such prints played a significant role in shaping the cultural and religious landscape of the time. This piece challenges our understanding of how art, craft, and social history intertwine.