Jacobus the Elder 

Editor: This is "Jacobus the Elder," an engraving by Sebald Beham. The texture created by the engraving process really defines the image. What draws your eye to this print? Curator: I immediately focus on the social context embedded in the materiality. Consider the paper itself, likely handmade, the precious metal used for the engraving plate, the labor-intensive process of creating the print. These all speak to the Northern Renaissance's complex relationship with religious imagery, commodity culture and its skilled artisans. Editor: Commodity culture, could you expand on that a bit? Curator: Certainly. The very act of creating prints made religious imagery more widely available. What was once unique, perhaps only viewed within the confines of a church, now is reproducible. Consumption shifts from devotion to possession. Also notice how Beham has included his signature initials. This serves as not only an artistic stamp, but a form of branding! Editor: That’s interesting, I never really considered the branding implications of a signature like that. Now when I look at the details, it reminds me of a craftsman displaying his high-quality work. The crispness of lines must've been difficult to master with those tools. Curator: Precisely! The technique elevates this engraving above simple religious propaganda, doesn't it? We have evidence of mastery on display, while simultaneously creating reproducible commodities. Editor: I learned so much! Thinking about materials in relation to economic factors of production, that opens up the whole discussion of Northern Renaissance art in a new light. Curator: Absolutely. The "how" and "why" an artwork was produced is as essential as the image it projects.