St. Agnes
c. 1470-1490
Medium
Engraving on paper
Dimensions
15.2 × 10.3 cm (6 × 4 1/16 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
3936
Art Historical Context
Martin Schongauer’s *St. Agnes*, created around 1470–1490, captures the gentle dignity of one of Christianity’s early martyrs. The young saint is traditionally shown with a lamb, symbolizing both her purity and her name, which echoes the Latin word for lamb. Working in the late Gothic period just as the Northern Renaissance was emerging, Schongauer brought a refined sensitivity to religious subjects, making them feel both intimate and spiritually resonant. This small engraving, measuring only 15.2 × 10.3 cm, highlights the revolutionary power of printmaking in the fifteenth century. Engraving...
About the Artist
Martin Schongauer · 1435–1491
Martin Schongauer, born around 1450–1453 in Colmar, Alsace, emerged from a family of skilled artisans. The third of four or five sons of goldsmith Caspar Schongauer, who had relocated from Augsburg to Colmar around 1440, Martin was immersed in the goldsmith's trade from youth, likely receiving his initial training in his father's workshop—a common path for early engravers. He further honed his ski...