Saint Mark c. 1460 - 1465

Editor: So, this is "Saint Mark" by Master ES, created sometime between 1460 and 1465. It’s an engraving, so a print. What strikes me is the Saint’s...almost melancholic expression. And his lion looks a little sad, too. What do you make of this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, Master ES! His engravings always offer a sort of quiet intensity, don't they? That melancholy you're sensing—it's not just sadness, I think. It's a profound thoughtfulness. Look at the way the lines of the engraving create texture, almost palpable fabric folds. He's literally *weighing* himself down with drapery, perhaps metaphorically representing the weight of his gospel. Does it not feel like that to you? Editor: That’s a great point, and it's a beautifully rendered robe! How did Master ES achieve such detail with just engravings? Curator: That's the magic of a skilled engraver, isn’t it? Master ES uses a technique called hatching—little lines all in the same direction – and cross-hatching, with lines intersecting, to create areas of shadow and volume. Notice how densely the lines are packed in the deeper folds of the drapery versus the relative absence of lines on Saint Mark’s face and hands. A real lesson in how to give something a feeling of three dimensions. Now what of the halo—is that indicative of his mood? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way, but the way it kind of droops off his head maybe suggests some of his holiness has waned? I never thought engraving could be so…expressive. Curator: Exactly! See, the artist has invited you into his mental universe, and you are now a player, one could argue. What better thing could we ask of an artist, eh? It's all a dance, a shared reverie... and that’s what keeps me coming back to these old prints.