Saint Francis with the Christ Child
1562
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1562
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This etching shows Saint Francis kneeling with the Christ Child in his arms. The scene glows in soft light, the child’s halo barely visible. The lines are fine and scratchy, like the artist drew with a needle. Faccini used two printmaking tricks here: etching burns lines into metal with acid, then drypoint scratches extra texture. The mix gives the picture a rough, handmade feel. See it in person at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.
