Heilige Matthias 1639 - 1670

Editor: Here we have "Heilige Matthias," made sometime between 1639 and 1670 by Petrus Clouwet. It’s an engraving, giving it this interesting, almost mass-produced feel, despite the subject. I’m curious, what strikes you about the materiality and the creation of this print? Curator: I'm drawn to the explicit labour here, revealed through the engraving. Consider the time invested in producing multiple impressions versus, say, a unique painted canvas. The lines themselves denote a system of production—the very means of making dictates the art. What implications might the ability to reproduce images have for the consumption and dissemination of religious figures like Saint Matthias at this time? Editor: So, it’s not just about the image itself, but the accessibility that this particular medium provided. Does that influence how people might have viewed religious figures, seeing them replicated and distributed? Curator: Precisely. It democratizes access to religious imagery, impacting its perceived value. Think about the market for these prints: Who were the consumers, and how did their patronage influence the artist's output and the subject matter itself? We're not simply admiring a depiction of Saint Matthias; we're also considering the economics of faith in the Baroque period, materialized through this very print. How does knowing this change your initial view of the artwork? Editor: I think it definitely pushes me to look beyond just the aesthetic. The repetitive nature of printmaking seems at odds with the almost sacredness of the subject, but I can see that contradiction as part of its meaning. It gives the object an economic weight as well. Curator: It underscores that art is always produced under specific conditions and never exists in a vacuum.