De heilige Petrus en Johannes genezen een lamme in een tempel c. 1751 - 1790

This delicate engraving, ‘The Holy Peter and John Healing the Lame Man in the Temple’, was made by Stefano Mulinari in the late 18th century. Executed on paper using a painstaking process of etching, it’s a testament to the power of reproductive printmaking. The image shows the biblical scene in fine detail, achieved by incising lines into a metal plate, inking it, and pressing it onto the paper. The quality of the impression depended on the engraver’s skill in applying pressure, wiping the plate, and controlling the acid that bit into the metal. Look closely at the details, and you’ll see the subtle variations in line weight that give the scene depth and texture. Printmaking in Mulinari’s time was a sophisticated industry, supplying visual culture to a broad public. Engravers like Mulinari weren’t just artists; they were skilled technicians, part of a complex system of labor and commerce. The market demanded high-quality prints and their labor made art accessible to those who could not afford original paintings. Considering the artistry and craft involved elevates our understanding of its cultural value, not just as a religious scene, but as a product of its time.