St. George and the Sorcerer of Dacian 1555

Lambert van Noort’s delicate pen and wash drawing depicts Saint George confronting the Sorcerer of Dacian. The central motif is the offering of poisoned goblets, testing George’s faith. Note how the motif of offering recurs throughout art history, from ancient Greek libations to the Eucharist. The poisoned chalice is not merely a symbol of betrayal, as in the Last Supper; it represents a deeper questioning of faith and the struggle against unseen forces. Here, the act of offering, tinged with malice, evokes primal anxieties about trust and deception. The kneeling sorcerer, caught in supplication, echoes poses of submission found in ancient Near Eastern art, revealing a timeless dynamic between power and vulnerability. The symbol of the chalice has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings across time.