Saint Eulalia c. 17th century

Curator: Jacques Callot's "Saint Eulalia" presents a stark, almost brutal scene, yet it's rendered with incredible delicacy given the medium. Editor: There's a fragility to the etching, isn’t there? The thin lines belie the violence depicted, like the labor is downplayed. Curator: Absolutely. Eulalia's martyrdom becomes a focal point for discussions surrounding female agency and resistance against patriarchal structures of power. Her suffering and unwavering faith highlight issues of gender, religion, and social control. Editor: And yet, it's all etched on a copper plate, pressed, reproduced. The means of disseminating this image about faith and suffering… it’s a whole process. The materiality contrasts sharply with the spiritual theme. Curator: I agree. The print, as an object, serves to amplify Eulalia's story but also, in some ways, transforms it. Editor: It makes you think about the labor involved, from the artist to the printer, to the distribution. Curator: Callot's Eulalia provides us with space to think critically about representation, gender dynamics, and faith. Editor: Indeed, it reminds me how physical processes influence how we perceive the spiritual.