Saint Thomas
Medium
Pen and black ink, brush and gray wash, heightened with white gouache
Dimensions
8 1/16 x 4 1/8 in. (20.4 x 10.5 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Pat and John Rosenwald Gift, Rogers Fund, and Gift of Dr. Mortimer D. Sackler, Theresa Sackler and Family, 2001
Accession Number
2001.188
Tags
Art Historical Context
Created in 1527 by Hans Holbein the Younger, this delicate drawing captures Saint Thomas, one of Christ’s twelve apostles, with quiet dignity. Holbein, a leading figure of the Northern Renaissance, was renowned for his precise observation and elegant draftsmanship. At this time he was based in Basel, Switzerland, producing both religious works and portraits amid the upheavals of the Reformation. Executed in pen and black ink with gray wash and white gouache highlights, the drawing demonstrates Holbein’s masterful control of light and volume on a small scale. The layered washes create subtle m...