H. Johannes Capistranus en veertien voorstellingen uit zijn leven

About this artwork

Centraal de franciscaner monnik Johannes Capistranus met boek en banier met IHS monogram. Op de achtergrond strijden christenen tegen de Turken. Rondom een rand met veertien voorstellingen uit het leven van H. Johannes Capistranus met telkens een onderschrift in het Italiaans. Onder een cartouche met opdracht in het Latijn. Boven het wapen van kardinaal Carlo de'Medici.

Art Historical Context

Nestled at the heart of this striking 1623 etching by Italian artist Antonio Tempesta is the revered Franciscan monk St. John of Capistranus, clutching a book and a banner emblazoned with the sacred IHS monogram. Tempesta, a master engraver of the Baroque era known for his dynamic battle scenes and religious narratives, captures the saint amid a dramatic backdrop of Christians clashing with Ottoman Turks—a nod to Capistranus's historical role in rallying forces during the 1456 Siege of Belgrade. Measuring 505 × 347 mm, this print serves as both devotional icon and historical tribute. Encircling the central figure is an ornate border featuring fourteen vignettes from the saint's life, each accompanied by Italian captions that chronicle his preaching, miracles, and missionary zeal. Below, a Latin dedication cartouche honors the patron, while Cardinal Carlo de' Medici's coat of arms crowns the composition above. These elements reflect the Counter-Reformation's emphasis on heroic saints as bulwarks against Protestantism and Islamic expansion. Tempesta's etching technique shines here, with its fine, fluid lines conveying motion and fervor in a reproducible medium ideal for widespread devotion. Produced in an age of religious fervor, this work underscores the cultural power of prints to inspire faith and national pride across Europe.

About the Artist

Antonio Tempesta · 1555–1630

Antonio Tempesta (1555–1630), known as 'Il Tempestino,' was a Florentine painter and printmaker whose extraordinary output of approximately 1,700 etchings made him one of the most influential printmakers of the early Baroque period. Born in Florence and trained under Santi di Tito and the Flemish master Joannes Stradanus, he enrolled in the Accademia del Disegno in 1576 before relocating to Rome i...