Verheerlijking van Maria met acht heiligen waaronder Johannes de Doper en Antonius de Grote en Franciscus van Assisi 1505 - 1509

Girolamo Mocetto made this engraving, "Glorification of Mary with Eight Saints" around the early 16th century. At first glance, the composition seems divided, the upper ethereal with Mary and cherubic figures, set against a detailed landscape, while below, saints stand solemnly in a unified horizontal line. The linear quality of the engraving, achieved through precise hatching and cross-hatching, creates a visual language that speaks to the intersection of divine and earthly realms. Mary’s figure, monumental and central, is framed by the landscape that gives way to a stage for the saints. Look closely at the lines—they not only define form but also create a sense of depth and space. Mocetto masterfully uses the linear structure to build a semiotic framework where each figure and element acts as a signifier. This image invites viewers to contemplate the structural relationships between the earthly and the divine, mediated through the formal devices of line, space, and composition. The print suggests an ongoing discourse between faith, representation, and the very structures that uphold meaning.