Roundel with Saint Mark

Art Historical Context

This exquisite roundel, created around 1500 in the North Netherlands, portrays Saint Mark, one of the four Evangelists, whose traditional symbol is the winged lion. Measuring just over nine inches in diameter, the small scale suggests it was designed for a domestic window or a modest chapel rather than a grand cathedral. Crafted from colorless glass with vitreous paint and silver stain, the piece reflects the refined glassworking traditions of the late medieval period transitioning into the Northern Renaissance. The use of silver stain was particularly innovative at the time, allowing artists...