Design for a Confessional, Plate 4 from an Untitled Series of Designs for Confessionals

This is Plate 4 from an untitled series of designs for confessionals by Carl Pier, made sometime in the 18th century. The design is an etching, a printmaking process that depends on the corrosive action of acid to create lines in a metal plate. Here, the fineness of the etched lines allows Pier to show all the details of a very elaborate confessional. Imagine the amount of labor that would go into carving all that wood! Consider how the columns, drapery, and ornate cresting are meant to impress the penitent, a theatrical setting for personal absolution. This was a society deeply concerned with status, and this design reflects a clear hierarchy between the priest and the supplicant. Etchings like this one were instrumental in disseminating design ideas to workshops across Europe. Ultimately, the success of the design depends on skilled makers to bring it into three dimensions. Only then is the intended social transaction complete.