Perfectionis Ascensio from The Life of Saint John of the Cross
1622–24
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 4 3/8 x 2 11/16 in. (11.1 x 6.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.6427(4)
Tags
Art Historical Context
"Perfectionis Ascens" is a delicate engraving from the series *The Life of Saint John the Cross*, created by artist Antonius Wierix III around 1622–24. Saint John of the Cross (2–1591), a Spanish Carmelite and poet, was canonized in 1726, and such prints during the Counter-Reformation served as devotional tools, inspiring the faithful with vivid depictions of his spiritual journey toward divine union. This small-scale work (just 4 3/8 x 2 11/16 inches) captures a pivotal moment titled "Ascension to Perfection," likely portraying the saint's mystical elevation, symbolized by soaring birds and e...