Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio c. 17th century

Curator: This is Etienne Baudet's engraving of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. The detail in the etching is incredible, but what stands out for you? Editor: I'm struck by the texture – the lines creating shadows and highlights. What can you tell me about the engraving process itself and how that might influence our understanding? Curator: Consider the labor invested. Each line meticulously carved, each plate carefully inked. This wasn't about spontaneous expression; it was a calculated, reproducible image intended for wider consumption. Editor: So, the printmaking process democratizes the image, making art more accessible than an original painting? Curator: Precisely. And that accessibility shifts the artwork's role. It's no longer just an object of contemplation but a tool for dissemination of an artist’s fame and a commodity within the print market. Editor: It’s amazing to think about the layers of production embedded in what seems like a simple portrait. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure. Looking at art this way reveals so much about its context.