Saint Paul c. 1490 - 1500

Master FVB, active in Southern Germany, created this engraving of Saint Paul around 1490-1500. It’s a small but powerful image, presenting Saint Paul as both an intellectual and a figure of authority. Notice how Paul is holding a book, signifying his role as a writer of scripture, yet also possesses a large sword, a typical attribute symbolizing his martyrdom. The engraving was made during a time of significant religious and social change in Europe. The printing press, invented a few decades earlier, facilitated the rapid dissemination of texts and images, contributing to new forms of religious expression and debate. Artists at the time had a growing need for prints like this one, which could be sold to a burgeoning middle class with growing personal wealth, as well as to institutions. For a deeper understanding, it is helpful to consult inventories and guild records from the period, shedding light on the economic and social conditions that shaped artistic production.