Saint Martin and the Beggar
1634
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1634
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Saint Martin and the Beggar is a 1634 ink by Balthasar Moncornet, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white scene shows a man on horseback cutting his cloak in half with a sword. A poor person stands beside him, holding out a hand. Trees and a small building appear in the background, with two other figures walking in the distance. The text at the bottom reads *"S. Martinus et maricette"*, hinting this is Saint Martin sharing his cloak with a beggar. The artist used fine lines and shading to create depth. Look up engraving to see how artists like this made detailed prints.
Balthasar Moncornet (1600, Rouen – 1668, Paris) was a French painter, engraver, and tapissier revered for his depictions of around 45 different prominent figures of the 17th century.
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