Heilige Wendelinus

About this artwork

Onderdeel van een serie van 123 houtsnedes met heiligen.

Art Historical Context

This woodcut print, titled *Heilige Wendelinus*, was created between 1516 and 1518 by the collaborative efforts of Cornelis Liefrinck and Leonhard Beck. Measuring 235 by 210 millimeters on paper, the work depicts Saint Wendelin, a revered figure in Christian tradition. As part of an extensive series of 123 woodcuts featuring saints, it reflects the growing demand for accessible religious imagery during the early sixteenth century. Woodcuts like this one played a vital role in disseminating devotional art across Europe. The medium allowed artists to produce multiple impressions from a single carved block, making sacred subjects available to a wider audience beyond the wealthy elite who could afford paintings or manuscripts. Beck, active in the German Renaissance, often contributed to such print projects that blended intricate line work with clear narrative detail. The collaborative nature of the series highlights the specialized division of labor in early printmaking, where designers and cutters worked together to meet the needs of publishers and patrons. Today, this print offers visitors a glimpse into how art and faith intertwined in the Reformation era, preserving the memory of saints through reproducible and enduring images.