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Abraham Bloemaert

Saint Willibrord

1625/30
Pen and brown ink and brush and brown wash, with opaque white watercolor, over charcoal, on cream laid paper prepared with a blue wash
24.2 × 16.1 cm (9.5 × 6.3 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

A prolific draftsman and influential figure for the Utrecht Caravaggisti, Abraham Bloemaert here portrayed the patron saint of the Netherlands and first Bishop of Utrecht, Saint Willibrord. Active circa 700, Willibrord is credited with introducing Christianity to present-day Netherlands and Belgium. In this and in the several other representations of this saint drawn by Bloemaert, Willibrord is shown holding a cathedral, a symbol of his pioneering efforts to establish a monastery and a cathedral in the city of Utrecht. Bloemaert showed the saint in his clerical regalia; he is made especially imposing by being depicted as if from below.

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