Artwork
Saint Wolfgang
Saint Wolfgang is an oil painting. It dates from 1512 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:across bottom: (cross) Sanctus (cross) Wolfgang (cross); on clip of pennant: ihs
About this work
Technique & Style
The work belongs to the religious genre, depicting the saint in a contemplative pose that reflects the devotional emphasis of the period.
The painting Saint Wolfgang is executed in oil on a wooden panel, a technique typical of early sixteenth‑century Tyrolean art. Its support measures approximately 155.5 cm in height by 51.5 cm in width, giving the composition a relatively narrow, vertical format. The work belongs to the religious genre, depicting the saint in a contemplative pose that reflects the devotional emphasis of the period.
Stylistically, the piece exhibits the characteristic linear precision and rich coloration associated with the Tyrolean school, while the handling of light and detail underscores its devotional function. The artwork entered the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., through a 1972 gift from the late Mrs. Joanne Freedman.
History & Provenance
Saint Wolfgang is an oil-on-panel work dated 1512, attributed to an unnamed Tyrolean 16th-century artist. The painting entered the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. in 1972 as a gift from Mrs. Joanne Freedman of Washington, D.C., who had owned it by 1972 and who died in 1982. No earlier ownership history, commission details, or intermediate provenance is recorded in the available documentation.
The work was created in 1512, a date consistent with the Tyrolean attribution, and has remained in the National Gallery of Art's collection since its accession that same year.
The painting Saint Wolfgang is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. It entered the museum's inventory in 1972 as a gift from Mrs. Joanne Freedman, who had possessed the work in Washington, D.C., by that year. The artwork is currently located at the National Gallery of Art.
No specific accession number is provided in the available records, though the provenance traces directly from Mrs. Freedman to the institution. The sources do not list any past or future exhibition history for this specific panel.
Overview
The painting titled "Saint Wolfgang" is an oil work executed on a wooden panel. It presents a religious figure, presumably Saint Wolfgang, within a conventional devotional setting. The choice of oil on panel was a widespread artistic method during the period, enabling the creation of intricate details and a sense of realism.
This technique allowed for the development of subtle colors and varied textures, contributing to the artwork's visual depth.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork features a saintly figure, likely Saint Wolfgang, rendered in a traditional manner. The subject is depicted in modest attire, and his countenance conveys a sense of kindness. Such portrayals typically aimed to evoke spiritual contemplation and veneration, presenting the saint as an approachable and compassionate figure for religious devotion.
Artist & collection
