De heilige Ignatius van Loyola 1692

Giovanni Girolamo Frezza created this print of Saint Ignatius of Loyola sometime between the late 17th and mid-18th century. It is made of etching on laid paper, a common support for prints at the time. The artist used the etching technique to create fine lines that define shapes and forms. If you look closely, you can see how lines are grouped and layered to create darker areas and suggest depth, a labor-intensive process. Frezza was clearly skilled in organizing intricate details. The texture of the paper adds another layer of visual interest, with its subtle variations enhancing the overall impression. Prints like these were often commissioned by religious orders to disseminate images of their saints, contributing to their veneration. The image could be reproduced many times, which meant they were relatively inexpensive, but nonetheless required skilled labor. Considered this way, the print operates in a space somewhere between craft and industry, sacred and secular. It reminds us that all images, even those intended for the most elevated purposes, are made by human hands.