The Baptism of Jesus Christ c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have Carlo Lasinio’s "The Baptism of Jesus Christ," held at the Harvard Art Museums. The engraving itself is incredibly detailed, but also very formal. How would you interpret the context of its creation? Curator: It’s critical to consider the printmaking process itself. The labor involved in creating such detail points to a specific market for religious imagery. Was it meant for individual devotion or mass distribution, and how would that impact its reception? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered! Curator: Also, how does the choice of engraving, as a reproducible medium, affect the aura of the artwork compared to a unique painting of the same subject? Editor: It makes me wonder about the intended audience and their relationship to the image as a commodity. Thanks! Curator: Exactly! Thinking about the image this way opens up a lot of new perspectives, doesn't it?