Heilige Cecilia met vier andere heiligen c. 1596

Marco Dente made this engraving of Saint Cecilia with four other saints in the early 16th century. The stark contrast achieved through the engraving process profoundly influences the artwork's appearance. The image was created by meticulously incising lines into a metal plate, likely copper. The artist would have used a tool called a burin to carve the design, and then the plate would have been inked and printed. This process, born from the traditions of metalworking, allowed for the mass production of images, and as a consequence, the dissemination of ideas and aesthetics during the Renaissance. The labor-intensive method imbues the print with a sense of meticulousness; each line carefully placed to build up tone and detail. Paying attention to the materials, the method of making, and its original context reveals the value of prints like this as both works of art, and agents of cultural change.