1490
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Eagle of Saint John is a 1490 ink by Martin Schongauer, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white drawing shows a strange, half-human, half-eagle creature. Its face looks like a bird’s, but it has a human body wrapped in a snake’s coils. The eagle’s wings spread wide, and its legs end in clawed feet gripping a scroll. The artist used fine lines to build up shadows, making the figure look three-dimensional. This was a common trick in old prints. Next, check out engraving to see how artists like this made detailed prints.
Martin Schongauer, also known as Martin Schön or Hübsch Martin by his contemporaries, was an Alsatian engraver and painter.
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