Saint Cecilia playing the organ surrounded by putti
Original title: Saint Cecilia playing the organ surrounded by putti
kurzbeschreibung
Seated on a pedestal, Saint Cecilia plays a positive organ while several putti cluster around her—some hold flowers, others clamber over the instrument. Schelte Adams à Bolswert engraved this scene in copper between 1640 and 1659, with rich baroque detail. Of the third state of the plate, a total of three impressions exist.
Description
Symmetrically arranged around the seated Cecilia, who reaches into a positive organ, the print unfolds. Putti surround her: one carries flowers, others recline on the case or hover nearby. Columns and a window with a landscape view structure the space. Gradations of gray and white, diffuse light, and clear contours define the rendering.
Context
As a seventeenth-century Flemish engraver, Schelte Adams à Bolswert became known above all for reproductive engravings after Peter Paul Rubens. Saint Cecilia, patron saint of music, was among the most popular motifs of Catholic baroque art. During his Antwerp years, Bolswert produced numerous religious prints for the art market.
Impact
Calm and devotional, the image feels through its precise linework and shading. The symmetrical arrangement and central placement of the saint create a clear, ordered effect that directs the gaze to the musical event.
Technique
For this engraving, lines were incised into a copper plate and then printed on paper. The third state suggests further reworking of the plate, which attests to careful handling by the artist. Varying depth and density of lines produce the gray and white tones that model light and shadow.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)