Abdon and Sennen carrying the early Christian martyrs off for burial
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Plate: 11 7/8 × 12 5/16 in. (30.2 × 31.2 cm) Sheet (Trimmed): 12 5/16 × 12 9/16 in. (31.2 × 31.9 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1979
Accession Number
1979.635
Art Historical Context
In the grand tradition of 17th-century Baroque art *Abdon and Sennen Carrying the Early Christian Martyrs for Burial* (1650–60) is a poignant etching by Guillaume Courtois, with Arnold van Westerhout likely contributing to its masterful execution. Courtois, a Dutch-Italian painter known for his dramatic history scenes, captures the solemn devotion of saints Abdon and SennenPersian martyrs from the 3rd who risked their lives to bury fellow Christians during Roman persecutions. This print the era's Counter-Reformation fervor, where vivid depictions of faith and sacrifice inspired piety among vie...
About the Artist
Arnold van Westerhout|Guillaume Courtois · 1651–1725
Comment on works: engraver