The Battle of Saint James at Clavijo
1472
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1472
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This engraving shows a chaotic battle scene with armored knights clashing on horseback. Weapons flash, horses rear up, and a saint in the sky hurls a spear down to help the Christians win. The artist uses tiny lines to shade the armor and clouds, making everything look sharp and real. This kind of print was made for books or to sell separately. It tells a made-up story about a battle won with divine help. The lines are so fine they look almost like a sketch. See how Schongauer, Martin carved this.
