St. Luke Painting the Virgin 1625

Claude Mellan's 1625 etching, "St. Luke Painting the Virgin," depicts the patron saint of artists, St. Luke, at work, meticulously rendering the Virgin Mary and Child. The meticulous detail of the cross-hatching and the dynamic composition convey the skill and dedication of the artist. This small-scale print, currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, showcases Mellan's masterful command of the etching technique and his reverence for the subject matter. The inscription at the bottom, "S. LVCA EVANG. PICTOR. PATRONVS," further emphasizes the importance of St. Luke as a patron saint for artists.