Saint Anthony of Padua c. 17th century

Curator: Here we have Michel II Corneille’s “Saint Anthony of Padua,” a delicate print housed at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels so tender, the way Saint Anthony is gazing down at the Christ Child, bathed in this ethereal light. It’s a very intimate scene. Curator: The medium itself – printmaking – allowed for wider distribution of religious imagery, impacting devotional practices. Consider the economics of access, how this engraving could bring faith into more homes. Editor: Absolutely. And there’s a sweetness here, an almost familial connection. Like a memory, softened by time and emotion. Makes you wonder about the labor and the intentions of the artist! Curator: Precisely. It reminds us that art is rarely just about aesthetics, but about social conditions and material processes. Editor: Such a nice pairing of material and spiritual.