Who painted Saint George?

Saint George was painted by German 15th Century in 1500.

Where can I see Saint George?

Saint George is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Saint George?

Saint George is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

Saint George

German 15th Century , 1500

Saint George is an ink print by the Renaissance artist German 15th Century. It dates from 1500 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

The work is a hand‑colored woodcut portraying Saint George confronting a dragon. The saint stands upright, armored and armed with a spear in his right hand and a shield in his left, while the dragon lies on the ground with its jaws open. The composition is rendered in a limited palette of brown‑red, green and vermilion, creating a restrained yet dramatic scene.

Subject & Meaning

The image draws on the Christian legend of Saint George, the martyr who slays a dragon to rescue a captive and symbolize the triumph of faith over evil. By positioning the saint dominant over the subdued beast, the print emphasizes themes of courage, divine protection, and the victory of righteousness, common moral messages in devotional art of the period.

Technique & Style

Executed as a woodcut, the design was cut into a block of wood, inked, and pressed onto paper before being hand‑colored with pigments in brown‑red, green and vermilion. The limited color scheme and the bold line work typical of early printmaking give the image a tactile quality, while the hand‑coloring adds depth and a sense of three‑dimensionality to the figures.

Context

Printed during the Renaissance, a time when woodcut reproductions spread religious narratives to a broader audience, the piece reflects the era’s interest in combining narrative clarity with emerging artistic techniques. Hand‑coloring was a common method to enhance the visual impact of prints, making them more appealing for devotional use or private contemplation.