Charity 1530 - 1576

This is Lambert Suavius's "Charity," an engraving made sometime in the 16th century. Engraving is an intaglio process, meaning that the image is incised into a surface – in this case, a copper plate. The artist would have used a tool called a burin to cut lines into the metal, creating grooves that hold ink. The plate is then wiped clean, and the ink remains only in the incised lines, which are transferred to paper under high pressure. The image’s crispness results from the clean, precise cuts of the burin. Look closely, and you can see how Suavius varied the weight and density of the lines to create tone and shadow. The image is a testament to the engraver’s skill and labor; each line a deliberate mark. In its time, printmaking allowed for the wide dissemination of images, democratizing art, and knowledge in ways previously unimaginable. It's a powerful reminder that artistic value isn't just about the image, but also the means of its production and distribution.