John the Evangelist c. 16th century

Curator: Here we see John the Evangelist, an anonymous work held at the Harvard Art Museums. I'm struck by the chalice he holds, and the snake emerging from it. Editor: It's the starkness of the lines for me. The engraver must have been so precise, each cut deepening our understanding of form and texture. It feels almost...austere. Curator: The chalice and serpent, though, speaks to a narrative of faith overcoming poison, a potent symbol of redemption. John was believed to have survived a poisoned chalice. Editor: Interesting! Still, the paper itself, its age and the labor to produce it, speaks to a much wider network of trade and skill than this single image suggests. Curator: True. It's a reminder that even religious imagery exists within a material reality, shaped by economics and labor. Editor: Exactly. A collaboration, in a sense, across time and hands. It enriches the way we see the art and its meaning.