A Silver Statuette of St. Christopher, from the Wittenberg Reliquaries
Original title: A Silver Statuette of St. Christopher, from the Wittenberg Reliquaries
kurzbeschreibung
Lucas Cranach the Elder recorded this silver statuette of Saint Christopher in a woodcut. The sheet belongs to the Wittenberg Reliquaries series and dates from around 1509. It measures 15.5 × 7 cm.
Description
Saint Christopher stands in full armour, a long staff in hand, carrying the Christ Child on his back. The small Christ holds a pipe to his mouth and raises a hand in a gesture of blessing; his face looks lively, almost gleeful. Clothing and armour are rendered with many details and a clearly perceptible surface texture. The background is left empty, so the figures stand out all the more. Crisp lines and shadows in black and white define the image.
Context
Frederick the Wise kept the Wittenberg reliquaries in the Castle Church in Wittenberg. Between 1509 and 1510 Cranach made woodcuts that recorded these relics together with their containers. The series served as a devotional and commemorative sheet for pilgrims who could not see all the relics themselves.
Impact
The precise linework and strong shadow contrasts make the figure appear sculptural, almost three-dimensional. The child with pipe and blessing gesture is unusual and seems almost playful; this gives the sheet a puzzling yet memorable quality and invites reflection.
Technique
For the woodcut, the design was cut into a wooden block and then printed on paper. Fine lines and hatching reproduce the silver statuette in detail. The print remains monochrome and uses the natural colour of paper and ink.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)