An Apostle
Medium
Chiaroscuro woodcut in gray and black on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Image/sheet, trimmed to block: 17 × 10 cm (6 3/4 × 3 15/16 in.)
Classification
woodcut
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
84454
Art Historical Context
Created around 1740 by the Venetian nobleman and printmaker Conte Antonio Maria Zanetti the Elder, *An Apostle* exemplifies the refined printmaking traditions of eighteenth-century Italy. This small chiaroscuro woodcut, measuring just 17 by 10 centimeters, depicts a solitary apostolic figure rendered through layered tones of gray and black. The work’s intimate scale invites close viewing, allowing the subtle gradations of ink to convey volume and quiet contemplation. Zanetti employed the demanding chiaroscuro technique—using multiple woodblocks to build tonal depth—reviving a method first pop...