Artwork

Fourteen Auxiliary Saints

Fourteen Auxiliary Saints, by German 15th Century, ink, 1500
Fourteen Auxiliary Saints, by German 15th Century, ink, 1500

Fourteen Auxiliary Saints is an ink print by the Renaissance artist German 15th Century. It dates from 1500 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Fourteen Auxiliary Saints is a woodcut print, hand-colored in a vibrant palette of pink-red, green, blue, and yellow, set against a light beige background. The composition arranges fourteen saints in a structured grid of three rows and five columns.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts fourteen auxiliary saints, each distinguishable by their attire and attributes such as swords, crosses, and palm leaves. Their varied poses, including standing and kneeling, convey a sense of dynamic devotion.

Technique & Style

Executed as a woodcut with subsequent hand-coloring, the piece blends the precision of printmaking with the expressive touch of manual coloring. The style, while not explicitly dated in the provided facts, is suggested to relate to the Renaissance movement, implying a period of heightened artistic innovation.

Context

The work's context is hinted at through a suggested connection to the Renaissance, a time of religious and artistic fervor in Europe. The use of auxiliary saints aligns with the period's religious practices and devotional art.

Legacy

While specific legacy details are not provided, the piece's recommended comparison to the Renaissance movement implies it may contribute to the broader understanding of religious art and printmaking techniques of its time.

Artist & collection

Portrait of German 15th Century

Artist

German 15th Century

This 15th-century German artist carved vivid religious scenes into metal and wood, then hand-painted them in bright, symbolic colors.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.