Artwork
Saint Anthony
Saint Anthony is an ink print by the Baroque artist Balthasar Moncornet. It dates from 1634 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
The work belongs to Moncornet’s extensive output of religious prints, a genre in which he produced roughly forty‑five images over his career.
Created in 1634, this engraving portrays Saint Anthony in a moment of devotion. The French artist Balthasar Moncornet, active in the early‑to‑mid‑17th century, rendered the saint kneeling with a book on his lap, a subtle flame nearby, and a stone floor that catches the light. The work belongs to Moncornet’s extensive output of religious prints, a genre in which he produced roughly forty‑five images over his career.
Subject & Meaning
The composition focuses on Saint Anthony, a figure associated with asceticism and scholarly contemplation. He is shown in prayer, the book suggesting his theological studies, while the modest flame may symbolize spiritual illumination or the saint’s reputed miracles. The subdued lighting and deep folds of his robe emphasize a contemplative atmosphere, inviting viewers to consider the saint’s inner piety.
Technique & Style
Moncornet employed the traditional engraving process, incising the image onto a copper plate with a burin before inking and pressing it onto paper. The resulting lines are fine yet decisive, creating a textured surface that captures the folds of the robe and the play of light on stone. The overall style reflects the precise, linear quality typical of French printmaking in the early Baroque period.
History & Provenance
The print is part of a larger series of religious plates produced in the 1600s, a time when devotional images were widely circulated for private and public use. While specific ownership records are scarce, the work has survived in several museum collections, attesting to Moncornet’s reputation as a prolific engraver whose prints were disseminated across Europe during his lifetime.
Artist & collection
Artist
Balthasar Moncornet (1600, Rouen – 1668, Paris) was a French painter, engraver, and tapissier revered for his depictions of around 45 different prominent figures of the 17th century.
