St. Paul
c. 1578
Hendrick Goltzius, a young prodigy of the Mannerist movement, packs this engraving with dramatic tension and elongated, muscular figures typical of the style. On the far left, a towering Saint Paul stands calmly with his sword and book, almost as a witness to the chaotic scene unfolding beside him where an executioner raises a blade to behead a kneeling man. The Latin text at the bottom confirms this is the martyrdom of Paul under Emperor Nero, who watches imperiously from horseback on the right. Goltzius was famous for his incredible control of the engraving burin, creating textures that look almost like painting.
- Technique
- Engraving
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