St. James the Great, from Christ, the Apostles and St. Paul with the Creed

Art Historical Context

Behold Hendrick Goltzius's masterful engraving *St. James the Great created around 1589 as part of his series *Christ, the Apostles and. Paul with the Creed This intimate portrait, measuring just under 6 by 4 inches, captures the revered apostle in a moment of solemn devotion, embodying the spiritual fervor of late 16th-century Northern Europe. Goltzius, a Dutchmaker and one of the era's greatest engravers, drew from Mannerist influences, blending Italian elegance with Northern precision to elevate prints from mere reproductions to standalone artworks. Engravings like this were revolutionary, allowing widespread dissemination of religious imagery during the Reformation. Goltzius's technique shines here: his swelling, rhythmic lines create a sense of volume and texture, making the saint's flowing robes and expressive face leap from the page as if painted. Produced via the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, this piece highlights the Apostles' role in articulating the Creed—a foundational Christian text—offering visitors a window into Counter-Reformation piety and the power of portable devotion. (178 words)

About the Artist

Hendrick Goltzius · 1558–1617

Hendrick Goltzius (1558–1617) was the most celebrated engraver of the Northern Renaissance and a pivotal figure in Dutch Mannerism. Born near the German-Dutch border, Goltzius transformed printmaking into a virtuoso art form through his revolutionary 'swelling line' technique, where the burin was manipulated to create lines of varying thickness that produced unprecedented tonal effects and three-d...