The artwork “St. Christopher facing right” is a religious engraving created by Albrecht Durer in 1521, during the Northern Renaissance period. The medium utilized for this piece is engraving, and it belongs to the religious painting genre. Currently, the artwork is part of a private collection.
In this detailed engraving, we see the figure of St. Christopher carrying the Christ Child on his shoulders. St. Christopher is depicted as a large and strong man with a beard and wild, curly hair, gazing upwards, almost out of the frame, with a look of determination and awe. He leans on a staff for support as he fords a river. The child on his shoulders holds what appears to be a globe, symbolizing his divine nature and authority over the world. In the background, the landscape includes a hermit standing outside a small hermitage, holding a lantern that lights the scene, signifying the hermit’s role in guiding and enlightening others. Dürer’s mastery of the engraving technique is evident in the rich textures, intricate details, and the dramatic use of light and shadow, all of which contribute to the narrative and symbolic depth of this work. The date of creation and Dürer’s monogram are prominently displayed on a small inscription block in the foreground of the work.
