St. Augustine and the Child on the Seashore

1467

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Dominant colour

St. Augustine and the Child on the Seashore is a 1467 by Master of the Nuremberg Passion, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Master of the Nuremberg Passion
When & what style?: 1467 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

Augustine kneels by the sea in a red robe. A small child pours water into a tiny hole in the sand. Waves lap at their feet. This odd scene comes from an old Christian story. Augustine, a famous thinker, tries to pour the ocean into a hole. The child represents God’s mystery—bigger than human understanding. The artist used fine lines and rich ink to make every detail clear. Check out this work in person at The Cleveland Museum of Art.

The story of this work

Overview

The Master of the Nuremberg Passion—named for a set of prints in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg—was probably a contemporary of the Master E. S. and ranks among the best engravers of his period. He made some 19 engravings, and Saint Augustine and the Child on the Seashore , the most mature of his works, only survives in this unique example. Even the finest lines printed clearly in this early, rich impression.

Read the full account in the museum source.