← Marcantonio Raimondi

Faith personified by a woman standing in a niche, pointing to rays in the upper left, from "The Virtues"

Original title: Faith personified by a woman standing in a niche, pointing to rays in the upper left, from "The Virtues"

Artist

Marcantonio Raimondi

Date

ca. 1515–25

Medium

Engraving

Dimensions

Plate: 8 9/16 × 4 1/4 in. (21.8 × 10.8 cm) Sheet: 16 1/16 × 10 13/16 in. (40.8 × 27.5 cm)

Credit line

Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1926

kurzbeschreibung

A woman stands in a niche, her right hand raised toward rays of light that break from the upper left. This engraving by Marcantonio Raimondi, made around 1515–25, personifies Faith and belongs to the series The Virtues.

Description

Her body turns to the right while her head lifts toward the upper left corner. She wears a simple belted gown that traces the contours of her form; her hair is gathered in a knot, and her feet are bare. A semicircular arch curves behind her, framed by parallel line patterns. From her hand, bundles of rays extend into the upper left of the sheet. Side lighting carves the figure with strong shadows, heightening its sculptural presence.

Context

Raimondi, an Italian engraver of the Renaissance, is best known for reproductive prints after designs by Raphael. The series The Virtues was produced around 1515–25 in his Roman workshop, during a period of close collaboration with Raphael and his circle. Individual depictions of virtues like this one often served as models for artists or as collectibles for humanist circles. The niche-figure type was widespread in antiquity and the Renaissance.

Impact

Clear lines and a calm yet dynamic pose give the figure a balanced, monumental quality. The contrast between the finely hatched background and the smooth body draws the eye to her gesture. The rays lend the scene a spiritual note without overpowering the figure's earthly presence.

Technique

For this engraving, lines were cut into a metal plate with a burin. Fine hatching and cross-hatching model light and shadow, while the contours are drawn with precision and fluidity. The plate measures 21.8 × 10.8 cm; the sheet is larger and has margins, suggesting a print with full borders.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)