Saint André 1726

This is Saint André, made by Louis Jacob, probably in France in the 1700s, using etching and engraving. These printmaking processes involve working an image into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. What's so fascinating about printmaking is that it is inherently about reproduction, about efficiently disseminating images. In Jacob's time, prints were a primary way that visual ideas circulated – like social media today. Note the incredible fineness of the lines, built up into areas of tone. This was achieved through skilled labor, and we should remember that prints like this were a crucial source of income for many artists. Jacob is not necessarily celebrated today as a great master, but his expertise in the demanding techniques of etching and engraving were vital to the visual culture of his time. By thinking about the processes involved, we can see this print not just as a devotional image, but as a document of a particular mode of production.