Saint Prisca Baptized by Saint Peter 1729 - 1749

Curator: This sepia print, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums, depicts "Saint Prisca Baptized by Saint Peter" by Paul-Ponce-Antoine Robert. Editor: It has a distinctly warm and inviting atmosphere, despite depicting a rather serious religious ceremony. Curator: Indeed, the image resonates with familiar archetypes; the central figure of Saint Peter stands elevated, a conduit of divine authority. The supplicant, Saint Prisca, embodies faith and humility, a scene evoking baptism’s transformative power. Editor: I’m drawn to the printmaking itself, the way the line work creates form and texture. It makes me wonder about the engraver's labor, the tools and techniques used to render this scene for mass consumption. Curator: The image taps into an ongoing cultural narrative, a thread stretching back to the early church, constantly reinterpreted through art. Editor: Ultimately, it’s a well-crafted piece that makes you think about the material and the symbolic.