The Holy Family with Saint Clare of Assisi - Dominicus Custos

A detailed 17th-century engraving by Dominicus Custos depicting the Holy Family with Saint Clare of Assisi, featuring fine cross-hatching and Latin script.

This engraving by Dominicus Custos depicts the Holy Family accompanied by Saint Clare of Assisi. Custos, a Flemish printmaker who spent much of his career in Augsburg, was known for his technical precision in copperplate engraving. The composition focuses on the central figure of the Christ Child, who reaches towards a monstrance held by Saint Clare. The Virgin Mary supports the child, while Saint Joseph stands to the right, observing the scene with a contemplative expression.

The work displays characteristics typical of Northern Mannerism, including the elongated proportions of the figures and the sophisticated handling of light and shadow. The background is rendered with fine, cross-hatched lines, creating a dark, atmospheric space that pushes the figures into the foreground. The drapery of the garments is executed with rhythmic, flowing lines that define the volume of the forms.

At the base of the print, a Latin inscription reads: EGO DILECTO MEO ET AD ME CONVERSIO EIVS. This text, derived from the Song of Songs, connects the visual imagery of the monstrance to the theological concept of the Eucharist. The dedication below identifies the recipient as Cleophas Distelmair, a minister at the Augsburg Cathedral. The print serves as an example of the devotional art produced for ecclesiastical patrons during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. The technical execution reflects the high standards of the Augsburg print workshops, where Custos operated as both an engraver and a publisher. The balance between the narrative elements and the decorative qualities of the engraving demonstrates the artist's ability to synthesise complex theological themes into a clear, visual format.