Saint Cecilia standing holding a palm of martyrdom in her right hand, from "Piccoli Santi" (Small Saints) 1495 - 1532

This print of Saint Cecilia was made by Marcantonio Raimondi, sometime between 1506 and 1516. It’s made using an engraving technique, where lines are incised into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed onto paper. Engraving was a highly skilled, labor-intensive process. The quality of the line is crucial. Look closely and you can see the varying depth and thickness, creating a range of tones and textures. Raimondi was a master of this, and his prints were widely collected. They played a key role in disseminating artistic ideas across Europe. But let’s also think about the social context. Engraving allowed for the mass production of images, making art accessible to a wider audience. This was a time of growing literacy and a rising middle class, who were keen to consume images like this one. So, while the image depicts a religious figure, its production and distribution were very much tied to the emerging capitalist economy. Raimondi wasn’t just an artist, he was also an entrepreneur, responding to the demands of the market. By understanding the materials, making, and historical context of this print, we can appreciate its significance as both a work of art and a product of its time.