A Hermit Saint 

This print, "A Hermit Saint," was made by Karel Frantisek Töpper, probably in the early 18th century. It's an etching, meaning the artist coated a metal plate with wax, drew into the wax to expose the metal, and then bathed it in acid. Now, the character depicted might seem distant from the world of labor and production. But think about the skill involved in making this image. Etching demands an exacting hand, to create the intricate network of lines that define form and texture. The very act of mark-making becomes a kind of devotional practice. We can imagine Töpper, laboring over the plate, perhaps seeing a parallel between his own focused activity and the saint’s solitude. This print reminds us that even seemingly solitary acts of creation are embedded in a web of cultural meaning and skilled labor. It challenges our assumptions about art, inviting us to appreciate the rich interplay between craft, devotion, and the hand-made.