Saint Anthony
1521
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1521
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Saint Anthony is a 1521 ink by Lucas van Leyden, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white print shows a tired-looking man leaning on a long staff. He’s wrapped in a heavy robe, with one hand clutching a book or scroll. Behind him, a small bell hangs on a post, and a dog sits quietly at his feet. The lines in his face and the way his cloak drapes make him look worn out. The artist used tiny, crisscrossed lines to build up the shadows and textures—this is called *cross-hatching*. It gives the print a rough, almost carved feel, like the details were scraped into the metal. If you like this style, look up engraving to see how artists made prints like this.
