The Arrival in France of Saint Francis of Paola
c. 1495
Medium
Woodcut in gray, hand-colored with brush, stencil and watercolor on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Image: 33.8 × 24.6 cm (13 5/16 × 9 11/16 in.); Sheet: 36.5 × 26.6 cm (14 3/8 × 10 1/2 in.)
Classification
woodcut
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
184406
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This woodcut was recovered, with five other impressions, from use as endpapers in an account book. All six bear similar marginal damage, as the bookworms or other insects burrowed all the way through the volume. No other impressions of the print are known. This mismatch between the spiritual character of the prints and the worldly, business context in which they were found appears to be the result of simple reuse of scarce paper stocks, rather than an attempt to increase profits by calling on Sa...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...