Maria vermeerdert brood dat Catharina aan de armen kan uitdelen 1603

This print, made by Cornelis Galle I, probably around the turn of the 17th century, shows a miracle of multiplication. Mary helps Saint Catherine distribute bread to the poor. As a print, this image would have been made through a laborious process. The artist would have used a sharp tool, called a burin, to incise lines into a copper plate. This required great skill and control, as each line determined the final image. The plate would then be inked, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Finally, it would be pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The resulting print is a testament to the artist's skill and the engraver's craft. But it also speaks to broader issues of labor, class, and consumption. Prints like this one were relatively affordable, making religious imagery accessible to a wider audience. By understanding its making, we can appreciate not only the artistry involved, but also the social and economic context in which it was created.