Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) The Penance of St. John Chrysostom

Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)

The Penance of St. John Chrysostom

Engraving, 1496, a fine, early Meder b/c impression on laid paper without watermark, printing with wiping scratches in the upper left quadrant, trimmed to borderline with some thread margins, sheet 180 x 120 mm (7 1/8 x 4 3/4 in) (unframed)

Literature:
Bartsch 63; Meder 54; S.M.S. 7

⁂ Based on the medieval legend, St. John Chrysostom can be seen crawling in the distance following his vow not to rise from the ground until he had made amends for his sins; notably the attempted murder of a princess who he impregnated. For years he lived like a beast, crawling on all fours and feeding on wild grasses and roots. It was said that the saint's infant child miraculously spoke and pardoned the hermit.