Saint Judas Thaddeus (?) or Saint Simon (?)
c. 1470/1480
Medium
engraving on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 15.9 × 9 cm (6 1/4 × 3 9/16 in.) sheet: 29.3 × 19.3 cm (11 9/16 × 7 5/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.128
Art Historical Context
This delicate engraving, tentatively identified as *Saint Judas Thaddeus or Saint Simon (?)**, was created by Israhel vankenem around 1470–1480, closely following the style of the pioneering engraver Master E.S. of the earliest masters of the medium, Master E.S. (active mid-15th century) revolutionized printmaking in the German-speaking regions, producing intricate copperplate engravings that could be reproduced in multiples—making religious art accessible beyond elite patrons. Van Meckenem, a prolific Netherlandish-German artist known for his copies and adaptations, captures the saint in a c...