Saint Margaret
1639
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Sheet (Trimmed): 13 1/4 × 7 9/16 in. (33.6 × 19.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1917
Accession Number
17.50.15-55
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
This etching of Saint Margaret, created by Michel Dorigny in 1639, captures the saint in a moment of quiet strength. As a print on paper measuring roughly 13 by 8 inches, the work reflects the intimate scale often chosen for devotional images meant for personal reflection or small collections. Etching allowed artists of the period to achieve fine, expressive lines that could be reproduced and shared widely. Dorigny’s technique highlights delicate shading and detail, making the figure’s attributes—such as the dragon at her feet—clear even in a monochrome medium. Such prints played an important role in spreading religious stories across Europe during the seventeenth century. Acquired by Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1917 through the Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, this now resides in the Department of Drawings and Prints, where it offers visitors a glimpse into both artistic practice and the enduring appeal of saintly imagery.
About the Artist
Michel Dorigny · 1616–1665
French painter. Comment on works: Painter; History; Portrait; Engraver; Religious; Mythology; Draughtsman