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Martyrdom of Saint Lucy

Jacques Bellange

1605

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Baroque Religious

Dominant colour

Martyrdom of Saint Lucy is a 1605 ink by Jacques Bellange, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Jacques Bellange
When & what style?: 1605 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This print is packed with swirling figures—some kneeling, some reaching upward. At the center, a woman with a bandage over one eye holds a palm frond, surrounded by small faces and floating hands. To the right, a muscular man stands on a pedestal, pointing dramatically toward the sky. The background looks like a crumbling building, with more figures climbing or falling around it. The woman’s blindfolded eye hints at a story about faith and suffering. The artist used sharp lines to create drama, almost like a busy stage scene. Next, look up etching to see how artists like this made detailed prints.

About the artist

Artist

Jacques Bellange

Jacques Bellange (c. 1575–1616) was an artist and printmaker from the Duchy of Lorraine (then independent but now part of France) whose etchings and some drawings are his only securely identified works today. They are…

See the richer artist page