Heilige Macarius van Egypte after 1636

This print of Saint Macarius of Egypt was made by Frederick Bloemaert around 1640, using engraving. This is an intaglio process: lines are cut into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. The linear language is particularly suited to religious subject matter, because it evokes a sense of discipline. The dense cross-hatching of Bloemaert's engraving creates shadow and volume. We can almost feel the weight of the saint’s garments, while the figure kneeling before him is rendered with skeletal thinness, a testament to her suffering. This work required considerable skill and labor. Printmaking was a crucial industry in 17th-century Europe, and the quality of execution speaks to Bloemaert’s mastery of the technique. By focusing on its materiality and the process of its making, we can understand how this image communicates both spiritual and social values. It's a reminder that even the most ethereal subjects are grounded in the physical world.