San Cristóbal
1474-1485
Meet the ultimate medieval babysitter! This panel by Hans Memling depicts the legendary Saint Christopher wading through a river with the Christ child perched on his shoulders. According to the myth, Christopher was a giant who carried travelers across a dangerous river; one day, a small child asked for a ride, but grew impossibly heavy as they crossed because he was carrying the weight of the world. Notice the monk on the rocky shore holding a lantern to guide them, and the detailed, almost storybook-like landscape in the background featuring a bustling castle town. Memling, a master of the Early Netherlandish Renaissance, paints Christopher in a striking red robe, looking surprisingly calm despite the heavy load.
- Technique
- Oil painting
- Material
- Wood panel
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