Heilige Antonius van Padua het Kind aanbiddend

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso, gestempeld: Lugt 240

Art Historical Context

Giovanni Battista Mercati’s 1637 etching “Heilige Antonius van Padua het Kind aanbiddend” presents the beloved Franciscan saint in a moment of quiet devotion before the Christ Child. Created during the height of the Baroque era, the print reflects the period’s emphasis on emotional religious imagery intended to inspire personal faith and Counter-Reformation piety. Etching was especially well suited to this purpose. The technique allowed artists to achieve delicate lines and subtle tonal effects that could be printed in multiples, making devotional images widely accessible to collectors and the faithful alike. At 266 by 200 millimetres, Mercati’s sheet balances intimate scale with enough detail to reward close viewing. A collector’s stamp on the verso (Lugt 240) further attests to the print’s long-standing appeal among connoisseurs, underscoring how such etchings moved from devotional objects to treasured works of art.

About the Artist

Giovanni Battista Mercati · 1591–1645

Giovanni Battista Mercati (1591–1645) was an Italian Baroque painter and engraver whose career exemplified the vibrant artistic culture of 17th-century Italy, particularly in Rome and his native Tuscany. Baptized on October 1, 1591, in Borgo San Sepolcro (Sansepolcro), Tuscany, Mercati moved to Rome to pursue greater opportunities in the papal capital, where he became a member of the prestigious A...