Entry into Jerusalem 16th-17th century

Editor: This is Pieter de Jode the Elder’s “Entry into Jerusalem”, a detailed engraving. The people look really happy, but the scene is rendered in a material that suggests a more complex story. What strikes you about the work? Curator: The engraving medium is key. Its reproducibility speaks to the commodification and dissemination of religious narratives. Consider the labor involved in creating the plate versus the ease of printing multiples. How does this impact the work's reception and meaning? Editor: So, the material itself democratizes the image? Curator: Exactly! It moves the sacred image into the realm of mass consumption, altering its value and function. It’s no longer a unique, revered object, but a product of skilled craft, distributed widely. How does that reframing affect your understanding of the scene? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. The production itself changes the meaning. Thanks!