Reproductive Print of the Miracles of St. Francis Xavier Altarpiece
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 22 1/2 x 17 9/16 in. (57.2 x 44.6 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
51.501.7134
Tags
Art Historical Context
This striking reproductive engraving captures Peter Paul Rubens' monumental *Miracles of St. Francis Xavier Altarpiece*, a Baroque masterpiece from around 1617–18, now faithfully rendered by engraver Ignatius Cornelis Mar between 1615 and 163. Rubens, the Flemish virtuoso of the Counter-Reformation era, depicted the Jesuit missionary saint performing awe-inspiring miracles, surrounded by a dynamic cast of men, women,, and even satyrs—blending sacred drama with mythological flair to emphasize Xavier's divine power in Asia. Created for a Antwerp church altar, the original painting exemplifies Ru...
About the Artist
Peter Paul Rubens|Ignatius Cornelis Marinus · 1577–1640
Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) stands as the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition and the greatest exponent of Baroque painting's dynamism, vitality, and sensuous exuberance. Born in Siegen, Westphalia, and raised in Antwerp, Rubens received a humanist education studying Latin and classical literature before pursuing artistic training under three masters: Tobias Verhaecht, Adam ...