The Virgin and Child with a Bird 

Editor: Here we have Simone Cantarini's "The Virgin and Child with a Bird", rendered with ink in an intaglio print. It feels surprisingly intimate, not what I'd expect for a religious piece. The lines are so delicate. What's your interpretation of this work? Curator: The intimacy is key. Consider the evolving role of the Virgin Mary in popular piety at this time. Intaglio prints like this one, because they are relatively inexpensive and easily reproduced, allowed for wider circulation of devotional images within households. Do you see how that contrasts with earlier, more monumental depictions? Editor: So, instead of awe-inspiring church frescoes, we get something you could hang in your home. Does the bird have something to do with that as well? Curator: Absolutely. The bird serves both symbolic and socio-political functions. Symbolically, it foreshadows Christ's sacrifice. But consider also how the artist uses relatable, even sentimental imagery to foster personal devotion, a key aspect of Counter-Reformation art intended to reconnect believers. How does the engraving technique influence this effect, do you think? Editor: It makes it feel much more approachable, more human, which probably did help ordinary people connect to the Virgin Mary and Christ. I had just seen it as a really nice image, and now I see how it also represents religious shifts and a wider audience for art. Curator: Precisely. These details contribute to a fuller understanding of its purpose. Now we have a clearer picture.