Saint Christopher Facing Right
1521
Medium
engraving on laid paper
Dimensions
sheet (trimmed to plate): 12 × 7.7 cm (4 3/4 × 3 1/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.3560
Art Historical Context
In the twilight of his illustrious career, Albrecht Dürer, the preeminent German artist of the Northern Renaissance, created *Saint Christopher Facing Right* in 1521. This intimate engraving on laid paper, measuring just 12 × 7.7 cm, exemplifies Dürer's mastery of printmaking. As a pioneer in the medium, he transformed engraving into a fine art form, using precise burin incisions to achieve extraordinary detail and tonal depth, rivaling painting. Produced late in life, amid Dürer's travels and health struggles, it reflects his enduring fascination with religious iconography. Saint Christopher...
About the Artist
Albrecht Dürer · 1471–1528
Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528) stands as the preeminent figure of the Northern Renaissance and arguably the most influential artist in the history of printmaking. Born in Nuremberg on May 21, 1471, and dying in the same city on April 6, 1528, Dürer revolutionized the status of the artist in Northern Europe, transforming printmaking from a commercial craft into an independent fine art and establishing ...