St. John the Baptist
Medium
engraving
Classification
Department
Prints
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of The Print Club of Cleveland
Accession Number
1924.510
Tags
male
About this artwork
Martin Schongauer was among the first artists to work extensively in engraving to create series such as the one depicting the saints. Here, he represented Saint John the Baptist as a thin ascetic man holding a book at the top of which is the Lamb of God. Schongauer's engraved lines inventively emulate different natural qualities and textures, for example the camel fur of John's robe and the spiraling locks of his hair.