The Virgin seated with the infant Christ sleeping in her lap, in an oval frame, after Reni 1650 - 1675

This is Francois de Poilly’s “The Virgin seated with the infant Christ sleeping in her lap,” a print created sometime in the late 17th century. This artwork is not directly made by the artist. It is, as the title indicates, after a painting by Guido Reni. Notice how the image is built from a multitude of tiny etched lines. Look closely, and you can see the labor involved in creating the tonal gradations of light and shadow. De Poilly was a master of engraving, a printmaking technique in which lines are incised into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. Engraving was a highly skilled craft, demanding years of training to master the use of specialized tools. It was also a reproductive medium, allowing images to be widely disseminated. In this case, de Poilly is not just replicating the composition, but also Reni's distinctive style. By understanding the labor and skill embedded in the production of this print, we can appreciate its role in circulating religious imagery and artistic ideas in early modern Europe. It challenges our notions about originality and artistic creation, asking us to consider the value of both invention and reproduction.