Bilder Giovanni Merlo (active c. 1650), after Maarten de Vos (1532–1603) – Saint Giles in the Desert – engraving (17th Century)

Beskrivning

This engraving presents a religious scene depicting Saint Giles seated in a shaded woodland glade, engrossed in reading a large book. Beside him rests a hind, his traditional companion, which points its head toward the saint for protection. In the distance, a group of hunters with hounds and a bowman are visible, illustrating the narrative moment when the saint was discovered by the King of the Visigoths after an arrow meant for the deer wounded Giles instead. The composition utilizes a deep contrast between the dark, shaded foliage of the foreground and the luminous, expansive landscape in the background, which features a distant castle and mountainous peaks. This work belongs to a series of prints documenting the lives of holy hermits and desert fathers.

Giovanni Merlo was an Italian engraver active during the mid-seventeenth century, known for his technical skill in translating the detailed compositions of major northern masters into print. Maarten de Vos was a leading Flemish painter and draughtsman of the late sixteenth century who played a crucial role in the development of Mannerist art in Antwerp and provided numerous designs for influential print series. This specific composition is part of a broader artistic tradition that flourished during the Counter-Reformation, intended to inspire spiritual reflection through the depiction of solitary devotion and divine providence in nature. Merlo's collaboration in reproducing de Vos's designs helped disseminate Flemish artistic styles and religious iconography across Europe.

Artist or Maker: Giovanni Merlo, after Maarten de Vos.

Dimensions: Approximately 23 cm x 29 cm.

Medium: print.

Date: 17th Century.

Condition Report:
This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.