Christ Measuring the Globe

1460/1470

German 15th Century

Associated Names
German 15th Century

Artist

This is a painting of a cosmic scene with a large circular depiction of a cosmological concept. Inside the circle is a smaller circle containing a stylized city landscape with buildings. Surrounding the inner circle are celestial elements like a sun, crescent moon, and stars. There is a figure to the right holding a stick pointing towards the center. The figure is dressed in traditional robes with red and pink hues and a halo. The color palette is limited to yellow, green, pink, and black. The style resembles an illuminated medieval manuscript or early woodcut print from historical religious or mystical iconography.

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.
Not on view See artworks now on view

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    woodcut, hand-colored in venetian red, lavender, yellow, and green

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.511

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Schreiber, no. 836, State m

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Oettingen-Wallerstein Collection, Maihingen; Martin Aufhäuser [1875-1944], Munich, Holland, and Los Angeles; [1] Lessing J. Rosenwald, Jenkintown, PA; gift to NGA, 1943.
[1] For complete information on Aufhäuser's collection, see Rosenwald Papers, box 9, and Richard S. Field, Fifteenth Century Woodcuts and Metalcuts, Washington, D.C., 1965, Preface (np).

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1941

  • The First Century of Printmaking 1400-1500, The Art Institute of Chicago, 1941, no. 20a.

1956

  • Selected Prints from the Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection, City Art Museum, St. Louis, MO, 1956.

1965

  • Fifteenth-Century Woodcuts and Metalcuts from the Collection of the National Gallery of Art, NGA, 1965-1966, no. 93, repro.

  • Selected 15th Century Prints from the Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection, National Gallery of Art, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, 1965, no. 10b.

Bibliography

1926

  • Schreiber, Wilhelm Ludwig. Handbuch de Holz- und Metailschnitte des XV Jahrhunderts. 8 vols. Leipzig: Verlag Karl W. Hierseman, 1926-1930.

1965

  • Field, Richard S. Fifteenth Century Woodcuts and Metalcuts from the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.. Exh. cat. Washington: National Gallery of Art, 1965: no. 93.

Wikidata ID

Q64952947

You may be interested in

Loading Results