St. Paul Preaching in Athens 1510 - 1563

Andrea Schiavone’s “St. Paul Preaching in Athens” is an etching, a printmaking process that depends on the corrosive action of acid to make an image in metal. This one dates back to the 16th century. The real subject here is line, and how it can be regimented to suggest form and space. Look at how Schiavone exploits the capacity of the etching process to generate lines that are sharp, but also irregular – a bit unpredictable. The etched line mimics the dynamism of the preacher in the image. Consider too that printmaking is an inherently democratic medium. Unlike a painting, which is unique, an etching is made to be reproduced. This makes it available to a wider audience, much like St. Paul’s message itself. So, when considering this etching, consider the relationship between materials, process, and meaning, and how these combine to give the work its enduring power. In doing so we can see how the artist blurred boundaries between art and craft.