Artwork
Saint Mark
Saint Mark is a mixed painting by the Early Renaissance artist Andrea Mantegna. It dates from 1449 and is held in the collection of the Städel Museum.
About this work
Overview
This tempera on canvas painting, created in 1448, is the earliest known work by Andrea Mantegna. It is housed in the Städel Museum, Frankfurt.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts Mark the Evangelist, a significant figure in Christian tradition. The work is signed and dated on a cartouche in the foreground, bearing an inscription that includes the artist's name and a message of peace.
Technique & Style
The use of a cartouche, a decorative element bearing an inscription, was a technique borrowed from Flemish art. Other Italian artists, such as Filippo Lippi, also employed this device, indicating a cross-cultural influence in Mantegna's early work.
History & Provenance
Mantegna created this painting at the age of 17, shortly after leaving the studio of Francesco Squarcione, with whom he had a contentious relationship. The work is a product of his newfound independence, marked by a lawsuit against his former master over unpaid commissions.
Artist & collection
Artist
Andrea Mantegna (UK: , US: ; Italian: ; c. 1431 – September 13, 1506) was an Italian Renaissance painter, a student of Roman archaeology, and the son-in-law of Jacopo Bellini. Like other artists of the time, Mantegna…
