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St. Christopher

Print
after ca. 1506 (made)
Artist/Maker

Like his contemporary, Albrecht Dürer, Lucas van Leyden was internationally recognised within his lifetime and beyond. Giorgio Vasari, writing in 1568, praised Leyden's fine engraving style and his use of perspective. Fine quality early impressions of his prints are rare. Copper printing plates are capable of producing only one or two hundred fine impressions before the plate starts to wear down, especially with a fine line engraving style as Leyden's. Such was Leyden's reputation and his prints so sought by collectors that his original printing plates were kept and impressions taken from them long after his death, resulting in a larger number of surviving poor and worn impressions than fine ones. Numerous copies were also made from his originals, which satisfied demand when originals were not available or affordable and for collectors of images interested more in subject matter.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleSt. Christopher (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Engraving in ink on paper
Brief description
Engraving, St. Christopher, copy after Lucas Hugensz van Leyden (called Lucas Jacobsz).
Physical description
St. Christopher sits beside a rocky cave, with his cloak and staff on the floor. At the entrance of the cave is a tree. In the background a man stands in front of a house, holding a bag and staff and a boy, the Christ Child holding an orb, waves to him next to a river.
Dimensions
  • Max, cropped image height: 11cm
  • Max, cropped image width: 8.4cm
  • Paper backing height: 41.4cm
  • Paper backing width: 30.6cm
Style
Production typeCopy
Marks and inscriptions
L (Artist initial inscribed on plate, on plaque attached to tree stump, bottom right)
Production
dating of original from New Hollstein
Subjects depicted
Summary
Like his contemporary, Albrecht Dürer, Lucas van Leyden was internationally recognised within his lifetime and beyond. Giorgio Vasari, writing in 1568, praised Leyden's fine engraving style and his use of perspective. Fine quality early impressions of his prints are rare. Copper printing plates are capable of producing only one or two hundred fine impressions before the plate starts to wear down, especially with a fine line engraving style as Leyden's. Such was Leyden's reputation and his prints so sought by collectors that his original printing plates were kept and impressions taken from them long after his death, resulting in a larger number of surviving poor and worn impressions than fine ones. Numerous copies were also made from his originals, which satisfied demand when originals were not available or affordable and for collectors of images interested more in subject matter.
Bibliographic references
  • Bartsch, Adam von. Le Peintre Graveur. Leipzig, J.A. Barth, 1854-1876.
  • The New Hollstein: Dutch & Flemish etchings, engravings and woodcuts, 1450-1700. Roosendaal. Koninklijke Van Poll in cooperation with the Rijksprentenkabinet, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 1993-
  • Cornelis, Bart and Jan Piet Filedt Kok. The taste for Lucas van Leyden prints. In: Simiolus - Netherlands Quarterly for the History of Art. 26: 1/2 (1998).
Other number
Bartsch 108
Collection
Accession number
E.595-1890

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Record createdDecember 22, 2008
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