Artwork
Saint John the Evangelist
Saint John the Evangelist is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Master i.e.. It dates from 1485 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
This early print, executed around 1485, presents a solitary figure identified as Saint John the Evangelist. Rendered as an engraving on laid paper, the work is modest in scale and focuses entirely on the saint, set against an unadorned background that isolates the image for clear contemplation.
Subject & Meaning
The figure is shown with wavy hair and a long, flowing robe, holding a cup in his right hand—a traditional attribute linked to John’s association with the Eucharist and his martyrdom. His left hand rests on his abdomen, suggesting a gesture of contemplation or prayer, reinforcing the devotional intent of the image.
Technique & Style
The engraving employs fine cross‑hatching to model the folds of the robe and to suggest the texture of the fabric, a method typical of late‑15th‑century printmaking. The linear precision and restrained use of shading reflect Renaissance ideals of clarity and anatomical observation, while the plain backdrop emphasizes the figure’s presence.
History & Provenance
Attributed to an anonymous master active in the late Gothic to early Renaissance transition, the print likely circulated among devotional contexts in Northern Europe. Its survival on laid paper indicates it was produced in a workshop that catered to the growing market for affordable religious imagery during the period.
Artist & collection
