Marcus de evangelist 1615

Dietrich Kruger created this engraving of ‘Marcus de evangelist’ sometime between 1575 and 1624. Kruger was working in a Europe still deeply entwined with the religious fervor of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation. Here, St. Mark is not just a religious icon, but a scholar laboring over his texts. His intense gaze suggests a man deeply invested in his work, but also weary from the task at hand. The lion, Mark's traditional symbol, looms behind him – a figure of power and majesty, but also a quiet witness to the saint's personal toil. What does it mean to depict a religious figure as both divine and deeply human? Perhaps Kruger was interested in conveying the psychological and emotional dimensions of faith. The inclusion of the lion, rendered with such striking detail, creates a sense of immediacy, pulling us into Mark's world. It reminds us that even the most revered figures exist within a tangible reality.