Artwork

St. Georg (Saint George)

St. Georg (Saint George), by Lovis Corinth, ink, 1916
St. Georg (Saint George), by Lovis Corinth, ink, 1916

St. Georg (Saint George) is an ink print by Lovis Corinth. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1916, *St.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1916, *St. Georg* is a black‑ink drypoint print by German artist Lovis Corinth. The image presents a heavily armored figure, spear in hand, rendered with vigorous, unrefined lines that emphasize texture over detail.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts a muscular knight, likely representing the legendary Saint George, poised in a tense stance. The stark, almost austere rendering highlights the figure’s resolve and the symbolic weight of the martyr’s battle.

Technique & Style

Corinth employed drypoint, incising the plate with a sharp needle to produce deep, ragged lines that transfer as dense black marks. The lack of tonal shading and the rapid, scribble‑like strokes give the work a raw, expressive quality, bridging his earlier naturalism with a more liberated, expressionist approach.

History & Provenance

Corinth’s print emerged after his 1911 stroke, a turning point that prompted a shift toward looser compositions. The piece reflects his continued interest in historic and religious themes, integrating them into his evolving visual language.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Lovis Corinth

Artist

Lovis Corinth

Lovis Corinth was a German artist and writer whose mature work as a painter and printmaker realized a synthesis of impressionism and expressionism.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.