St. Francis of Assisi
Medium
Engraving; copy in reverse
Dimensions
sheet: 16 7/16 x 11 7/16 in. (41.7 x 29.1 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1941
Accession Number
41.57.9
Tags
Art Historical Context
This enchanting engraving, *St. Francis of Assisi attributed to Claude Mellan with a reverse copy by Nicolas Bazin, the humble spirit of the beloved 13th-century Italian saint. Mellan, a masterful French engraver active in the 17th century, was renowned for his intricate line work and innovative techniques, often blending technical precision with devotional fervor. St. Francis, founder of the Franciscan order and patron saint of animals and ecology, is depicted in a manner evoking his legendary poverty and communion with nature, making this print a poignant artifact from the Baroque era's reli...
About the Artist
Claude Mellan|Nicolas Bazin · 1598–1688
Claude Mellan (1598-1688) was a French draughtsman, engraver, and painter who became one of the most innovative printmakers of the French Baroque period. Born in Abbeville to a family of coppersmiths, Mellan rose to become Peintre et Graveur Ordinaire du Roi (Painter and Engraver in Ordinary to the King), achieving recognition for his extraordinary technical mastery. Mellan's artistic significanc...