Nativity c. 17th century

Curator: Jacques Callot, who lived from 1592 to 1635, created this small etching, "Nativity". It’s currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels so intimate, almost like a whispered secret. The lines are incredibly delicate. Curator: Callot was a master of etching, a printmaking technique using acid to cut into a metal plate. Consider the implications of reproducible religious iconography. Editor: Absolutely. And notice how he uses light – the divine light streaming down, contrasted with the humble setting. It speaks volumes about the sacred within the mundane. Curator: Think, too, about the economies of scale, how these images would have circulated, the labor required, the markets it supplied. Editor: For me, the oval frame and the ascending angels draw the eye upwards, creating a sense of hope and spiritual yearning. A testament to enduring faith, no? Curator: It is truly remarkable how such humble materials could produce these lasting works. Editor: An image pregnant with meaning, regardless of scale.