Saint John the Evangelist

Description

Early German drawings such as this striking sheet are rare. Here the artist emulated a sculptural relief on a brown wash ground using a chiaroscuro technique (contrasting light and dark). The saint is depicted drawing poison out of a chalice of wine by blessing it, turning the toxin into a snake.

Saint John the Evangelist

Hans Franckenberger, the Elder

1519

Accession Number

218916

Medium

Pen and black ink, with brush and gray wash, heightened with white gouache, on cream laid paper, prepared with a brown wash ground, laid down on cream laid paper

Dimensions

29.2 × 20.3 cm (11 1/2 × 8 in.)

Classification

pen and ink drawings

Museum

The Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago, United States

Credit Line

Margaret Day Blake Fund