Saint Paul, from The Holy Family and the Twelve Apostles

Art Historical Context

Behold *Saint Paul, from The Holy Family and the Twelve* (1742), a masterful engraving by Venetian artist Marco Alvise Pitteri. Created during the vibrant Rococo era in 18th-century Venice, print captures the Apostle Paul in a dramatic pose, part of a larger series blending sacred family scenes with the Twelve Apostles. Pitteri renowned for his reproductive engravings after renowned painters, elevated printmaking to rival painting's expressive depth, making religious iconography accessible to a wider audience beyond oil canvases. Executed in black ink on paper (plate: 43.6 × 33 cm), the medium showcases engraving's precision: lines incised into a copper plate create rich contrasts and textures. Pitteri's innovative "dot-and-flick" technique—tiny etched points and flicks—mimics soft modeling and chiaroscuro, lending Saint Paul's figure a lifelike volume and emotional intensity. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings Department, this work highlights how prints democratized art, serving devotion, study, and collection in Baroque-influenced Europe. A testament to Venice's printmaking legacy, it invites visitors to appreciate how Pitteri transformed metal and ink into spiritual narrative, bridging faith and artistry.

About the Artist

Marco Alvise Pitteri · 1702–1786

Comment on works: Copper engraver