The Miracle of Saint Just
Original title: The miracle of Saint Just, who stands at center holding his decapitated head in his hands with two onlookers
kurzbeschreibung
Jan (Hans) Witdoeck produced an engraving titled 'The Miracle of Saint Justus' in 1639. It shows the saint holding his severed head in his hands at the centre, while two other figures look on. The print is the second state of two.
Description
Saint Justus commands the centre, holding his severed head. At his feet kneels a figure facing him, while an old man with a staff stands nearby. Horsemen and a landscape with trees and a city fill the background. The rendering stays monochrome with soft light, as the printing process dictates. Baroque linework brings out the texture of the garments and the expressions on the faces.
Context
Witdoeck engraved this plate in 1639 in Antwerp, where he worked as an engraver. The model was a painting by Peter Paul Rubens, made around 1625 and now in the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Rennes. Witdoeck was in close contact with Rubens and translated several of his works into engravings.
Impact
The sight of the saint holding his head in his hands evokes both amazement and pious contemplation. The calm arrangement and clean linework give the print a dignified, sacred mood. Because garments and faces are precisely captured, the eye is drawn to the main figure.
Technique
This print is an engraving, with lines incised into a copper plate. The second state shows revisions that make details and shadows finer. Clear contours and precise hatching demonstrate Witdoeck's craftsmanship.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)