Saint Apre c. 17th century

Editor: This is Jacques Callot's "Saint Apre," a small etching. The mood is quite dramatic, with figures seemingly tormented by demons. What symbols do you see at play here? Curator: The demons, rendered almost like grotesque insects, represent not just evil, but perhaps disease or societal ills. Notice how Saint Apre gestures – a traditional symbol of blessing or banishment. Editor: So, the demons represent the things that he is banishing? Curator: Precisely. Consider the larger cultural memory of saints as protectors. What anxieties do you think people might have carried then, projected onto these images? Editor: I see the continuity of needing protection, then and now, just the symbols have changed. Curator: Indeed. We all interpret through our own symbols.