H. Filippus 1623

This engraving of H. Fillipus was made by Lucas Kilian, sometime in the early 17th century. It’s a particularly fine example of the printmaker’s art. Note how the textures of metal, cloth, and flesh are all convincingly rendered with only the modulation of fine, closely-worked lines. Kilian has total command of his materials and technique. But what are those materials and techniques? Engraving is a demanding, time-consuming process, involving the careful removal of metal from a printing plate, so that ink can be pressed into the recesses and transferred to paper. It demands strength, precision, and patience, and would have been a specialized trade, positioned somewhere between artistry and industry. The circulation of prints like this one – devotional images – was a major business in its day. So we can see Kilian’s artistry as part of a much larger system of production and consumption. Appreciating that system is crucial to understanding this image and its original context.