Albrecht Durer (1471-1528), after - St. Christopher

Very good impression on wove paper.

St Christopher carrying the infant Jesus Christ over the river, on the right a hermit with a lamp. 1511
Woodcut

Bibliographic references
Meder 1932 / Dürer Katalog (223)
Bartsch / Le Peintre graveur (VII.136.103)
Dodgson 1903, 1911 / Catalogue of Early German and Flemish Woodcuts in the BM, 2 vols (I.304.121)
Schoch 2001-04 / Albrecht Dürer, das druckgraphische Werk. 3 vols I Intaglio, II Woodcuts, III Book illustrations (II.228)

(Source: British Museum)

Print showing St. Christopher by Dürer. His designs would have been handed over to professional woodcarvers to make the woodblock from which the print would have been taken. Some of these blocks still exist, for example, in the British Museum in London. Countless engravings were made after this print and this is a good example from the late XIX century. It shows his monogram in the bottom edge AD which he added to prevent others, for example Marcantonio Raimondi, from making unauthorised copies.

St. Christopher, the patron saint of travellers.
The most famous legend connected to the saint recounts that after converting to Christianity, he devoted his life to carrying travelers across a river. One day he carried an unknown young boy across a river after which the boy revealed himself as Christ. Because of his help to travelers, he became the patron saint of travelers. In the iconography of the Western Church, the saint is often depicted as a giant with a staff carrying the infant Jesus across a river on his shoulders. Small images of him are often worn around the neck, on a bracelet, carried in a pocket, or placed in vehicles. He is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. The Eastern Church tradition depicts the saint as a cynocephalus ('dog-headed creature') in a literal interpretation of its legendary tradition.

After the original woodcut. An early twentieth century printing, published in Germany.

Condition is good.