Saint Christopher
1518
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1518
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Saint Christopher is a 1518 ink by Albrecht Altdorfer, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a muscular man carrying a small child on his shoulders. The man is bare-chested, his back turned to us, and the child reaches up toward his face. Behind them, a bright light shines down, while a dark forest looms on either side. The lines are sharp and detailed, especially the trees and the man’s muscles. The artist used layers of lines—called cross-hatching—to create shadows and depth. This technique makes the scene look almost three-dimensional, even though it’s just ink on paper. Next, look up cross-hatching to see how artists use lines to build form.
