Two Biblical Scenes: Festus judging Saint Paul at left and Saint Paul Baptizing the Christians of Corinth at right, from a series of 15 plates depicting Raphael's works for the Vatican stanze and the Sistine Chapel tapestries 1650 - 1670

Curator: This engraving by Pietro Santi Bartoli, likely dating from 1650 to 1670, is called "Two Biblical Scenes: Festus judging Saint Paul at left and Saint Paul Baptizing the Christians of Corinth at right." It is from a series depicting Raphael's works. Editor: It's fascinating. Immediately, it strikes me as a diptych of power. One side a stark judgment, the other a submersion in faith. Two very different kinds of control at play, aren't they? Curator: Exactly. Note the use of line, the burin marks. Bartoli wasn't just copying Raphael; he was translating tapestry designs into print form for wider dissemination. This process demanded a meticulous understanding of both Raphael’s composition and the technical constraints of engraving. Think about the labor involved! Editor: Yes, the translation is a key point. Looking closer, there’s a performative quality here. The judgment scene is all sharp angles, theatrical gestures; in contrast, baptism appears gentler, even secretive. Each group is united in emotion. Which feels so very... human. Curator: These prints were a form of knowledge production. By reproducing these famous Vatican artworks, Bartoli's printmaking allowed access for a broader public and became a means through which the stories and images were consumed and interpreted. The commodification of faith! Editor: Well, it worked on me. Looking at this print I want to debate free will over strong coffee now. Curator: That's the power of art, or the productive quality of the artwork being disseminated via print. It raises new possibilities. Editor: And it just goes to show, sometimes a single image, or two held together like this one, can lead us to really reflect.