The Miraculous Draught of the Fishes
Original title: The miraculous draught of the fishes, Christ at the right accompanied by apostles in the boat
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike many related prints of the same subject, Andrea Schiavone's etching The Miraculous Draught of Fish (c. 1548–52) brings the boat's crew into full view and spreads the narrative across the entire surface. Christ is seen among the apostles in a skiff, a biblical event that the artist translates into loose, sketch-like strokes.
Description
Several figures crowd into a boat. On the right sits Christ, facing the viewer, raising his hand while turning to the others. Three men appear in different poses: one leans over the edge and reaches into the water, another stands upright and looks toward Christ, and the third crouches, also gazing at him. Behind the boat, trees and an open landscape suggest the setting. The layout is deliberately unbalanced, with Christ as the still point of reference.
Context
Andrea Schiavone, also known as Andrea Meldola, worked as a painter and printmaker of the Renaissance in Venice. Around 1548–52 he devoted himself increasingly to printmaking. The subject of the miraculous draught of fish comes from the Gospel of Luke (Luke 5:1–11) and appears more frequently in 16th-century Venetian art. Impulses from Titian and Parmigianino are reflected in his free, relaxed line.
Impact
The monochrome tone and Christ's animated gesture give the sheet liveliness without losing calm. Because the arrangement grows heavier toward the right, the eye travels to Christ, who appears as a quiet anchor amid the unrest. Subdued tones and a barely indicated background contribute to a collected, thoughtful mood.
Technique
The sheet was made as an etching, an intaglio process in which acid bites the drawn lines into the plate. Schiavone worked with a casual, sketchy line that is characteristic of his prints. At 19 x 27 cm the format remains relatively small and demands a dense, carefully placed drawing.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)