Saint Simon
1523
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 4 9/16 × 2 15/16 in. (11.6 × 7.5 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The George Khuner Collection, Gift of Mrs. George Khuner, 1968
Accession Number
68.793.34
Tags
Art Historical Context
Albrecht Dürer, preeminent artist of the Northern Renaissance, created *Saint Simon* in 3, late in his illustrious career. This intimate engraving depicts the apostle Saint Simon, one of Jesus's twelve disciples, often revered in Christian devotion for his zeal and martyrdom. Measuring just 4 9/16 × 2 15/16 inches (11.6 × 7.5 cm), its compact scale made it ideal for personal prayer books or altarpieces, reflecting the era's demand for affordable, portable religious art amid the early Reformation stirrings in Germany. Dürer's mastery of engraving shines here: using a burin to incise fine lines...
About the Artist
Albrecht Dürer · 1471–1528
Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528) stands as the preeminent figure of the Northern Renaissance and arguably the most influential artist in the history of printmaking. Born in Nuremberg on May 21, 1471, and dying in the same city on April 6, 1528, Dürer revolutionized the status of the artist in Northern Europe, transforming printmaking from a commercial craft into an independent fine art and establishing ...