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Hans Franckenberger, the Elder

Saint John the Evangelist

1519
Pen and black ink, with brush and gray wash, heightened with white gouache, on cream laid paper, prepared with a brown wash ground, laid down on cream laid paper
29.2 × 20.3 cm (11.5 × 8 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Early German drawings such as this striking sheet are rare. Here the artist emulated a sculptural relief on a brown wash ground using a chiaroscuro technique (contrasting light and dark). The saint is depicted drawing poison out of a chalice of wine by blessing it, turning the toxin into a snake.

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