The Virgin and Child accompanied by saints 1545 - 1555

Andrea Schiavone made this print, "The Virgin and Child accompanied by saints," using etching, a process that democratized image-making in its day. The etched line has a distinctive character. Unlike an engraving, where the artist cuts directly into the metal, etching uses acid to bite the image. Schiavone would have coated a metal plate with wax, scratched his design into it with a needle, and then submerged the plate in acid. The longer the acid bath, the deeper the lines. The relative ease of this process, compared to engraving, allowed for more fluid, expressive lines and a greater sense of tonal variation, which you can appreciate in the delicate shading of the figures' faces and drapery. Prints like these were relatively inexpensive and easy to produce, making art accessible to a wider audience. They weren't just copies; they were creative works in their own right, and crucial for circulating ideas in the Renaissance. Schiavone’s print is a testament to the innovative spirit of the era, blurring the lines between art, craft, and commerce.