Maria met het Christuskind 1700 - 1760

Giovanni Antonio Faldoni created this print, Maria met het Christuskind, sometime between 1690 and 1770, using etching and engraving techniques. The magic here is how the copperplate is worked. Faldoni would have used sharp tools, burins and needles, to incise lines into the metal. The depth and density of these lines determine how much ink the plate holds, and therefore the tonal range of the print. Take a close look, and you’ll see that the darkest areas are created by closely hatched lines, almost like a dense thicket, while lighter areas have finer, more widely spaced marks. This was skilled work. Printmaking in this period wasn’t just a means of artistic expression, but also a reproductive technology. Prints like this allowed religious imagery to be disseminated widely, reflecting both faith and commerce. By understanding the labor and technical skill involved, we can appreciate the true complexity of this image, and question our assumptions about what constitutes art.