The Life of Saint Lawrence 1616

Curator: So, what captures your attention with this… well, rather ornate engraving, "The Life of Saint Lawrence" from 1616? The artist is anonymous, and it’s pen, ink, and print on paper, from what I gather. What do you think? Editor: I'm struck by how it looks like a storyboard, with all the different scenes from Saint Lawrence's life surrounding the central, empty rectangle. It feels a little bit like a comic book, almost. What stands out to you? What do you see in it? Curator: A comic book, eh? I love that! You know, it reminds me a little of medieval illuminated manuscripts, the way the narrative unfolds in a border. Imagine this page within a massive, leather-bound book…or perhaps part of a larger devotional print. Do you get a sense of the stories at all, with the grilling on the BBQ? Any ideas on why there's all that empty space at the center? Editor: Is that a barbeque? Oh my gosh! It's all coming together now! As to why the middle is empty - I guess the central void might've originally held a portrait or relic? The idea of a manuscript actually really works here. Curator: A relic... interesting, like framing holiness itself! Consider, this was made during a period of intense religious upheaval. Prints like these became tools – disseminating ideas, visually, powerfully! Does that change how you look at this particular piece, knowing that it was part of the battle for hearts and minds? Editor: Definitely! It's not just a pretty picture. It's trying to tell a story, convert people...make a point. What an unexpectedly charged artwork, now that I look closer. Curator: Precisely. The "empty" space perhaps highlights the Saint’s absence from our world, a challenge to live as he did...artful propaganda! I enjoy how your fresh eyes drew parallels to a comic book! Keeps these old stories alive, doesn’t it?