Tobias burning the Liver of the Fish 1555

Maarten van Heemskerck made this print, "Tobias burning the Liver of the Fish," using the intaglio process of engraving. This is a method suited to crisp detail, which you can see in the architecture and musculature of the figures. The act of engraving involves pushing a tool called a burin across a metal plate, incising lines into the surface. The plate is then inked, and the ink is caught in those lines. When paper is pressed against the plate, the image transfers. It's a demanding process requiring enormous physical strength and control. The engraver’s hand is evident, and in this case, multiplied through the editioning of the print. The result is a relatively inexpensive image that would have been within reach of a broad public. Through techniques like engraving, the stories of the bible were made newly accessible. Consider the labor and skill, and how this is harnessed to spread both art and the Word.