Evangelist Johannes 1555 - 1642

Editor: This is "Evangelist Johannes," made sometime between 1555 and 1642. It's a print, an engraving to be precise, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. The detail is just amazing. What draws your attention when you look at it? Curator: Well, firstly, I consider the *material* impact of a print like this. Its availability meant that images and ideas could be disseminated much wider than ever before. Here, that impacts religious and political discourse significantly. Look closely at the layers, that intricate line work created with a metal tool. Doesn't it seem paradoxical that something intended to be reproduced en masse could be imbued with such intricate artisanship? Editor: Absolutely. It's easy to forget the labor that went into each one. There's the almost photorealistic detail in the eagle's feathers, the rendering of Saint John’s hand. What's the role of materiality? Curator: The physical process here is vital to the reception. The repetitive action of engraving mirrors a mechanization that spreads knowledge but risks a kind of devaluing through endless copy. The social implications of that! And notice, also, the uneven wear on this image. Who handled it, what messages were they looking for, and where were these prints used and circulated? Editor: That's fascinating. Considering it not just as art, but as a form of mass production...a means to distribute information to a larger audience... I hadn’t really considered the production as such a driving point. Curator: Exactly. And what social function might a relatively easily produced item of religious paraphernalia serve within this era? Editor: Hmmm…accessibility made to increase spiritual practice, at lower expense...but what about artistic perception of these practices? Did engravings start a divide between the elitism in “art” vs craft? Curator: Precisely. Such objects force us to question distinctions between the supposed 'high art' and mere functional design or craftsmanship. Where did this divide materialize, and in what way does mass production transform artistic significance? Editor: I definitely have a new appreciation for printmaking. Thanks! Curator: Likewise. Focusing on materials opens up narratives about labor, value, and how meaning shifts as an artwork circulates.