S. John c. 18th century

Curator: Here we have Johann Georg Bergmüller’s “S. John," housed right here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first thought is that the etching feels incredibly intimate, almost like a personal devotional object. Curator: Absolutely. The symbols are rich—the eagle, of course, representing St. John the Evangelist, soaring to the divine. And the heart radiating light, bearing the IHS monogram. Editor: And look at the hatching technique! Bergmüller really coaxes a sense of depth and form from what is essentially a network of lines. The paper itself, the way it would have been handled and distributed, speaks to a very material faith. Curator: Indeed. That interplay of the divine and the everyday is precisely what makes these images so enduring. They allow one to visualize and internalize deep spiritual concepts. Editor: Seeing the process gives a feeling of connection to the artist. It’s fascinating to consider how the availability and cost of materials shaped the artwork and its message. Curator: It gives us so much to consider, doesn't it? Editor: It truly does.