Saint Martin

Details

MARTIN SCHONGAUER (CIRCA 1445-1491)
Saint Martin
engraving, circa 1469-74, on laid paper, watermark Trimount with Cross (Lehrs 8), a fine, rich impression, with various very skilful repairs in the blank areas and sheet edges, the figure partially silhouetted, the borderline largely made up with pen and ink, a small adhesive stain at the upper right corner
Plate & Sheet 157 x 107 mm.

Provenance

Felix Somary (1881-1956), Vienna, Zurich, Washington, D.C. (Lugt 4384).

Literature

Bartsch 57; Lehrs, Hollstein 63

Special notice

These lots have been imported from outside the EU or, if the UK has withdrawn from the EU without an agreed transition deal, from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice.

Brought to you by

Tim Schmelcher

tschmelcher@christies.com +44 20 7389 2268

Lot Essay

Saint Martin (316/336-397) was the artist's patron saint and a popular figure in Christian art throughout the middle ages and was venerated as a paradigm of Christian charity. The Saint is depicted as a soldier cutting his military cloak in half to clothe a beggar dressed in rags in winter. Following this encounter, Martin had a dream in which Christ appeared to him as the beggar dressed with the divided cloak. He converted to the Christian faith and later became Bishop of Tours in 371.

The severely stained impression in the British Museum prints slightly more sharply but with less contrast than the present impression.

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