The Discovery of the Cross c. 18th century

Curator: Nicolas Le Sueur gives us "The Discovery of the Cross," printed in a pale green hue. The dimensions are roughly 44 by 34 centimeters. Editor: It’s quite unsettling. The somber, muted color combined with the crude lines and skulls evokes a feeling of disquiet. Curator: It is based on a drawing by Bernardin Pinturicchio. Le Sueur, born in 1691, would have been very aware of the prints market and how to create affordable, reproducible religious iconography. Editor: Notice the figures. They almost seem to be struggling, which is reflected in their bulging muscles. The composition is all diagonals and thrusting shapes. Curator: The production of prints like this one allowed religious narratives to permeate society, shaping belief through accessible imagery. Editor: For me, that stark simplicity lends it a raw, almost brutal honesty, a powerful expression beyond the purely religious narrative. Curator: Indeed. It is both an object of faith and a testament to the labor required to produce and circulate such images. Editor: I agree. This image is not merely religious; it speaks to the inherent tensions of discovery.