Heilige Drie-eenheid c. 1831 - 1877

Editor: This lithograph, "Heilige Drie-eenheid" or "Holy Trinity," likely dates from sometime between 1831 and 1877. What strikes me is its rather direct depiction, and almost feels commercial with it’s use of simple materials to deliver its message to the masses. What do you see in it? Curator: I see a confluence of production and belief. A lithograph allows for mass dissemination, transforming the divine into a consumable image. Look closely at the printing; each line, each shade of color represents labor, and an intended audience of mass consumption.. The materials used -- the stone, the inks, the paper -- were deliberately chosen, inexpensive, and reflect a social context eager for affordable devotional art. Editor: So you’re suggesting that the economic aspect influences even the spiritual? Curator: Absolutely! This isn't some transcendent oil painting commissioned by a wealthy patron. This lithograph places the Trinity within reach of the everyday person. How does this shift in accessibility impact the perceived value or the veneration of such sacred imagery, do you think? Editor: Well, maybe the repeated image helps to build up faith over time as people keep the print outs with them for years...but the mass production maybe degrades how important or artistic we perceive the piece. I'm really glad you focused on how the social class dictates artistic perspective, since the artist can deliver religion directly. I would not have thought that the artist’s use of mass materials gives the audience faith; however, I can agree that the material impacts people since the printed format is cheap. Curator: Precisely. This print offers us insight into how faith was produced and circulated as an accessible commodity within a particular historical moment.