1592
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Distillatio (Distillation) is a 1592 ink by Philip Galle, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a crowded workshop where people work with strange tools and glass containers. Some mix liquids in pots, others hold odd-shaped bottles, and one person reads from a book. The room is packed with shelves of jars, pipes, and a big still in the center. A child kneels on the floor, stirring something in a pan. The title *Distillatio* hints this isn’t just a workshop—it’s a symbol for turning raw materials into something refined. The tiny details, like the man adjusting a scale or the boy carefully pouring, suggest science and patience matter here. Next, check out how this was made using engraving.
Philip (or Philips) Galle (1537 – March 1612) was a Dutch publisher, best known for publishing old master prints, which he also produced as designer and engraver. He is especially known for his reproductive engravings of paintings.
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