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Saint Christopher

A work made of engraving on ivory laid paper.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of engraving on ivory laid paper.

Date:

c. 1500

Artist:

Master M.Z.
German, active 1500-50

About this artwork

Master M. Z. often played with dramatic changes in scale. In this engraving, the abrupt contrasts emphasize the gigantic stature of Saint Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, who transports people to safety across a raging stream yet struggles with Christ, who carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. Dwarfed by the giant saint and his heavy burden, miniscule figures appear in the water, barely discernable at first glance. Two men fight behind Saint Christopher’s tree staff, while near his right leg, a mermaid frolics and a monk heads toward the entrance of a church.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Master MZ

Title

Saint Christopher

Place

Germany (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Designed 1495–1505

Medium

Engraving on ivory laid paper

Dimensions

Sheet trimmed within platemark: 18.6 × 12.9 cm (7 3/8 × 5 1/8 in.)

Credit Line

Clarence Buckingham Collection

Reference Number

1935.378

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/21927/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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