St. Christopher
1509
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1509
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This print shows a muscular man carrying a small child on his back. He’s wearing a hat and a belt, and his face looks serious. Behind him, a winding road climbs up a hill with tiny buildings and trees lining the path. The sky is full of swirling clouds, and the whole scene feels crowded with detailed lines and shadows. The child he’s carrying is Jesus—this is a story about St. Christopher helping him cross a river. The artist packed in lots of extra symbols, like the staff and the strange creatures in the trees, to hint at deeper meaning. Next, look up Renaissance to see how this style changed art forever.
