Saints Anthony, Sebastian and Christopher
ca. 1470–90
Medium
Metalcut with dot punch, hand-colored; laid down on wooden book cover
Dimensions
10-15/16 x 6-5/16 in.; 11 x 7-3/4 in.
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of James Clark McGuire, 1930
Accession Number
31.54.112
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite 15th-century print Cologne, Germany, depicts Saints Anthony, Sebastian, and—venerated figures in medieval Christianity. Created by an anonymous around 1470–, it captures the saints in a characteristic Late Gothic style: Anthony the hermit with his staff and pig (symbol of his charitable works), Sebastian pierced by arrows as the martyr-soldier, and the towering Christopher bearing the Christ Child across a river. Such triptych-like groupings were popular for personal devotion, invoking protection against plague, temptation, and peril. The artwork's medium is a marvel of early p...