Saint Bruno

Considered the founder of the Carthusian Order, Bruno of Cologne is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. He was an advocate of complete submission to God and to life in solitude. This print in portrait format shows Bruno kneeling in a rocky cave. His gaze is directed upwards towards an opening in the cave ceiling, through which a ray of light hits his left eye. Bruno’s white, hooded robe hugs his body in folds, while his left hand rests on his heart. On the rock face in front of him is a small altar with a wooden cross. In the background, the entrance to the cave can be seen, from where one can look down into the valley and see a church, a path and the outlines of several houses. Ludwig of Siegen is seen as the inventor of mezzotint, an engraving technique. Mezzotint is a complex process that can only be printed in small quantities. First, a copper plate is roughened in its entirety. Lighter tones are created by smoothing individual areas completely or partially with a scraper. Shadow areas appear softer as a result, giving a very painterly effect.