Johannes de Evangelist 1606 - 1607

"Johannes de Evangelist" is an engraving by the Italian artist Raffaello Schiaminossi, executed between 1606 and 1607. It is a depiction of John the Evangelist, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, holding a chalice with a snake coiled around it. The chalice, a symbol of the Holy Grail, represents John's role as the author of the Gospel of John and the Apocalypse. The snake symbolizes the serpent in the Garden of Eden, alluding to John's encounter with the devil. The piece, currently housed in the Rijksmuseum, showcases Schiaminossi's mastery of linework and detail.