Saint Jacques Le Majeur
Original title: Saint Jacques Le Majeur
kurzbeschreibung
Where most depictions of saints settle for the pilgrim's staff and a book, Etienne Brion's 1726 print gives Saint James the Greater a crown as well. The saint stands full-length against an open landscape in this etching finished with engraving.
Description
James occupies the middle of the sheet, staff in his right hand and book in his left. A crown rests above his robe and cloak. Trees, a hill and a river fill the space behind him. Along the bottom edge runs a Latin quotation from the Gospel of Matthew. The layout is symmetrical, the light spread evenly across the figure.
Context
The sheet dates from 1726, a period when images of saints were everywhere in Catholic art. Brion, a French engraver, was known chiefly for religious subjects. In the eighteenth century, etching and engraving often served to reproduce artworks and to illustrate devotional books.
Impact
A solemn, prayerful mood comes across, carried by the balanced arrangement and the saint's calm stance. The finely worked landscape lends the image depth and sets it against the crisp outline of the figure.
Technique
Etching combined with additional engraving allowed for delicate lines and precise shading. The paper has been trimmed to 34.5 × 21.4 cm, which suggests the print was used either as a single sheet or as a book illustration.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)