Saint Anthony of Padua standing, lillies in his raised right hand, a book in his left, from "Piccoli Santi" (Small Saints)

Art Historical Context

In the intimate engraving *Saint Anthony of Pad standing, lilies in his right hand, a book his left* from the series *Piccoli Santi*Small Saints), Marcant Raimondi masterfully captures the Franciscan saint's serene devotion. Created around 1500–1527, this 3⅛ × 2-inch print (7.8 × 4.9 cm) shows Anthony with lilies—symbols of purity and his miraculous sermon to the fish—in his upraised right hand, and a book, evoking his renowned preaching and patronage of lost things, in his left. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, it reflects Renaissance Italy's blend of piety and artistry. Raimondi, a pioneering engraver active in Rome, revolutionized printmaking by reproducing paintings with exquisite fidelity, often inspired by Raphael. His technique involved incising fine lines into a copper plate, inking it, and pressing paper to create detailed, reproducible images. This allowed devotional art like *Piccoli Santi*—a series of diminutive saint portraits—to reach wider audiences beyond elite patrons, flourishing during the early 16th century's print boom. Such works held deep cultural resonance, serving as portable aids for personal prayer amid the Catholic Reformation's emphasis on saints' intercession. Anthony's popularity as a miracle-worker made him a household icon, bridging spiritual comfort with the era's technical innovation in graphic arts.

About the Artist

Marcantonio Raimondi · 1475–1534

Marcantonio Raimondi (c. 1480–1534), born near Bologna, Italy, emerged as one of the Renaissance's premier engravers, revolutionizing printmaking through his mastery of reproductive techniques. He trained in the workshop of the goldsmith, painter, and niellist Francesco Francia, whose influence is evident in his early engravings, such as the goldsmith-like shading in *Pyramus and Thisbe* (1505), h...