Het sacrament van het huwelijk 1712 - 1786

Curator: Ah, yes. Here we have "Het sacrament van het huwelijk," or "The Sacrament of Marriage," an engraving made by Giovanni Marco Pitteri sometime between 1712 and 1786. Editor: Immediately, I’m struck by how meticulously detailed this print is. The engraver really captures the textures of the clothing, especially that elaborate gown. I am thinking about all the time involved to make this piece. Curator: And rightly so! These kinds of engravings were important documents of social ritual. Think about how this print visualizes and therefore disseminates specific ideals about family, religion, and societal order. The solemnity, the placement of figures… it all reinforces marriage as a cornerstone of 18th-century European society. Editor: The social and political forces in this piece are all intertwined. Engraving had specific material and social applications, producing something reproducible for the wider populace that was originally only accessible through paintings owned by elites. I also note the presence of children. We often ignore labor when looking at historical work; what labor would the offspring provide, within this burgeoning sacramental, marital system? Curator: Precisely. And look at the architectural elements suggested in the background, those massive pillars. It emphasizes the weight of the institution. And how this religious event impacts personal status and is intertwined with the infrastructure surrounding that moment. Editor: Do you find that emphasis to be overwhelming? Despite the focus on fine details and their intended roles in their setting, it still lacks emotional depth. The lines and their labor feel stiff and calculated. Curator: Perhaps that’s because it is not meant to be a raw, emotional portrait, but an idealized vision, a projection of desired social cohesion through marital structures. Editor: In any case, I'm just captivated by the labor in these baroque forms. Considering their long lives beyond just being reproduced at a singular time. Curator: Well, by analyzing this engraving, its details and what its symbolism transmits about social power, hopefully our listeners have gained a better sense of the political project behind even seemingly quiet domestic scenes of that era.