Saints Polianus and Nemesianus c. 17th century

Editor: This etching by Jacques Callot, "Saints Polianus and Nemesianus," depicts a rather gruesome scene. It looks like an execution, actually. What do you see in the way it was made? Curator: The print's power lies in its material reality; the sharp lines etched into the copper plate, repeatedly inked and pressed onto paper. Think about the social context: the artist's labor, the engraver’s tools, and the dissemination of images through this repeatable process. Editor: So it's less about the saints themselves, and more about the conditions of its production? Curator: Precisely! Consider how the labor of image-making connects to broader networks of production and consumption in Callot's time. It changes how we see it, right? Editor: Definitely, seeing it as a product changes my understanding. Thanks!