Saint Agatha c. 15th century

Editor: This is an image of Saint Agatha, artist unknown. It looks like a woodcut. The lines are so precise, and the composition feels quite stark. I'm curious, what can you tell me about the production and consumption of such an image? Curator: Well, the image's being a woodcut speaks volumes. Think about the labor involved in carving that block, the access to materials and the printing press itself. This wasn't mass consumption as we know it, but part of a broader shift in image production and how religious figures were disseminated. Editor: So, it's not just about the saint herself, but also about the means by which the image was made and circulated? Curator: Precisely. Consider the social context of printmaking at the time. How does this relatively accessible medium shift religious authority and individual devotion? Editor: That's fascinating; I never considered how the material process could be so deeply intertwined with its cultural impact.