Saint Christopher with the Christ Child on his shoulder 1495 - 1505

Nicoletto da Modena created this engraving of Saint Christopher with the Christ Child sometime between 1500 and 1520. Immediately, we notice the stark linearity, the contrasting patterns etched into the metal plate. These range from the minute ripples of water to the dense foliage, and the muscular contours of Saint Christopher. The composition balances a grounded, earthly struggle with divine lightness. Saint Christopher, burdened, wades through the waters, his staff a visual anchor. Yet, the Christ Child sits effortlessly on his shoulder, holding an orb, a symbol of cosmic power. The contrast between the saint's strained expression and the child's serene gesture destabilizes any singular reading. Consider the lines themselves – how they build form, create depth, and suggest movement. The engraving is not just a picture, but an intricate network of signs that invite us to contemplate the weight of faith and the paradox of divine burden. Meaning here is not fixed, but emerges from the dynamic interplay of these graphic elements.