Fides (Fede)
1530
Lucas van Leyden brings the virtue of Faith to life in this striking 1530 engraving, depicting her as a boldly nude woman rather than a modestly robed saint. She casually leans against an altar, balancing a large cross in one hand and offering a chalice with the other, while a cherub hovers above to crown her with a halo. The open books at her feet hint at the importance of scripture, grounding this heavenly scene in scholarly devotion. Van Leyden was a Dutch prodigy who started engraving as a child, and his incredible skill with fine lines makes the skin look almost soft despite the rigid metal plate it was carved from.
- Technique
- Engraving
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