De heilige Johannes van het Kruis 1712 - 1786

Curator: This is an engraving titled "De heilige Johannes van het Kruis," or "Saint John of the Cross" produced sometime between 1712 and 1786 by Giovanni Marco Pitteri. What’s your immediate take? Editor: Eerily contemplative. The skull he’s clutching really pulls you in, doesn't it? It is kind of subdued given the typical baroque flair, though. Almost feels more... tender. Curator: That skull, as a 'memento mori', is a pretty potent symbol, hinting at mortality and spiritual reflection. But beyond just death, skulls represent the ephemeral nature of existence and the understanding that worldly possessions hold no value in the afterlife. Its symbolic potency is kind of eternal, isn’t it? Editor: Eternal, yes, and maybe even more poignant during the Baroque period. I mean, this era relished ornate drama but was equally obsessed with human transience, leading to a stark visual dialogue. Do you think his gaze averted reinforces this contemplation or softens the image a bit? Curator: Both, perhaps! I see it as directing the viewer inward. John isn't preaching; he's meditating, inviting us into his spiritual sphere, reflecting the intimate encounter with one's own mortality, which can be deeply affecting. It adds this beautiful, melancholy humility. Editor: It is curious to see a print deployed here though – and not an oil on canvas. How does the black and white media change the symbol from its potential gaudiness? It does seem appropriate here. Curator: Precisely! As an engraving it's more widely accessible, allowing this meditation on life and death to enter everyday spaces rather than being confined to churches or noble collections. Making spiritual contemplation accessible, now that's baroque generosity in its own way. Editor: Absolutely. Looking at it again, this print almost feels like a gentle nudge to reassess life, wrapped in a shroud of beautifully somber aesthetics. I walked in thinking death, and now I think a lot more about life! Curator: A potent reminder, spun from ink, contemplation, and the dance between the temporal and eternal. Quite haunting and poignant.