H. Thomas 1608 - 1649

Claude Mellan’s engraving, “H. Thomas,” now at the Rijksmuseum, presents a study in line and form. The composition centers on the figure of Saint Thomas, rendered in meticulous detail through fine, curved lines that define his drapery and form. The texture achieved through this technique is striking, giving a tactile quality to the print. Mellan's choice of engraving lends itself to a semiotic reading. The parallel lines create a visual code that invites the viewer to decode the artwork's meaning. The light, seemingly emanating from Thomas, is structured by the absence and presence of lines, challenging our perception and destabilizing traditional artistic values related to light and shadow. Notice Mellan’s delicate use of line, and how it challenges fixed meanings. The artwork invites ongoing interpretation and re-interpretation.