Heilige Familie 1656

Editor: So, this is “Heilige Familie,” or “The Holy Family,” an engraving from 1656 by Gilles Rousselet. It's a lovely image, almost photographic in its detail despite being made entirely from lines etched into a plate. I'm curious – what aspects of its creation or context particularly strike you? Curator: Well, immediately my eye is drawn to the materiality of it, that stark contrast achieved through laborious engraving. Think about the craftsperson, Rousselet, and the hours spent manipulating metal to create an image intended for mass consumption. It flattens the traditional hierarchy. Is this high art or printed ephemera? How does its purpose affect its status? Editor: That's interesting. I hadn't thought about the labor involved so much as the symbolic nature of the scene. The Holy Family depicted in such a...domestic setting, almost. Curator: Exactly. But the 'domestic setting' is fabricated through the engraver's process, and disseminated widely, blurring the lines between sacred, private, and public. Consider the role of engravings during this period. Were they tools of piety or products of the print market? Both? What does that tension reveal about 17th-century society and its relationship to religious imagery? Editor: So you're saying the meaning is as much in the means of production as in the subject matter? Curator: Precisely. The engraving’s material existence as an object produced and circulated is key to understanding its cultural work. It reframes how we value artistic skill, and the role of art within the reach of many people. Editor: I never considered how the method used could be just as telling as the artwork's message. Thank you. Curator: Of course. By considering art production as a form of labor, we expose dynamics surrounding artistry, social class, and the flow of commodities. Hopefully, you found it insightful to reframe what you thought you already knew about it!