Saint Simon
Original title: Saint Simon
kurzbeschreibung
Étienne Brion made this etching and engraving of Saint Simon in 1726. The upright sheet presents the apostle in a pensive pose, set within a landscape and accompanied by his attributes.
Description
Simon kneels with his gaze lowered and turned to the right; his robe has long sleeves, and a cloak rests over his shoulder. Trees and a clouded sky fill the distance, while at the left stands a shield bearing a sword. A dark tonality frames the figure as if within a niche, holding the eye on him. Along the lower margin appear the saint's name and a quotation from Scripture.
Context
Brion, an eighteenth-century French engraver, was known above all for reproductive prints. This sheet dates from 1726, a time when religious printmaking mattered greatly for private devotion. Martyrdom attributes such as the sword or the saw are familiar in the iconography of the apostle Simon, and the motif here follows that tradition.
Impact
Dark tones and precise lines lend the sheet a quiet, contemplative mood. The niche-like framing gives the saint monumental weight, while the landscape behind him opens up atmospheric depth.
Technique
Etching and added engraving work interlock, as the clean, exact linework makes plain. The interplay of the two processes yields soft, painterly passages in the landscape as well as sharply defined contours on the figure.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)