Artwork
Saint Dominic
Saint Dominic is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Italian 15th Century. It dates from 1450 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
The print depicts Saint Dominic in a kneeling posture, his hands joined in prayer. A faint halo crowns his head, and he wears a plain robe. Behind him, a densely populated scene of diminutive figures and architectural elements fills the space, creating a bustling backdrop that contrasts with the saint’s quiet devotion.
Subject & Meaning
The image emphasizes the humility and piety of Saint Dominic, founder of the Dominican Order, by showing him in a moment of reverent supplication. The surrounding crowd and structures suggest the broader community and world to which his spiritual influence extends, while the halo subtly affirms his sanctified status.
Technique & Style
Executed as a woodcut, the design was carved into a wooden block and printed like a stamp. After printing, the image was hand‑colored using a limited palette of brown, vermilion, orange, blue, olive and ochre. This manual coloring means each impression varies slightly, giving the work a distinctive, tactile quality that highlights the saint’s figure against the intricate background.
Context
Woodcut prints of religious figures were common in the late medieval and early modern periods, serving both devotional and didactic purposes.
Woodcut prints of religious figures were common in the late medieval and early modern periods, serving both devotional and didactic purposes. The use of vivid hand‑applied pigments reflects a tradition of making such images more accessible and visually engaging for a lay audience, while the detailed background aligns with contemporary narrative styles that situate holy figures within everyday life.
Artist & collection
Artist
This anonymous Italian engraver from the 1490s carved images that could be peeled apart like paper dolls—each knot in the "First Knot" print was cut from a single sheet so you could lift the loops right off the page.
![The Destruction of the Egyptian Idols [verso], by Italian 15th Century](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/italian-15th-century--the-destruction-of-the-egyptian-idols-verso--646d3c2b8098cfee-w320.webp)
![The Flight into Egypt [recto], by Italian 15th Century](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/italian-15th-century--the-flight-into-egypt-recto--8f4d5275d7f90f98-w320.webp)
