Evangelist Lucas - Nicolaes de Clerck

A detailed 1579 engraving by Nicolaes de Clerck depicting Saint Luke the Evangelist with his traditional winged ox attribute.

This engraving depicts Saint Luke the Evangelist, seated at a desk and engaged in the act of writing his Gospel. Beside him rests his traditional attribute, the winged ox, which serves as a symbolic representation of his narrative focus on the sacrificial nature of Christ. The composition follows established iconographic conventions for the Four Evangelists, placing the figure within a modest, structured interior space defined by simple architectural elements.

Nicolaes de Clerck employs a disciplined approach to line work, using hatching and cross-hatching to define the volume of the saint's robes and the musculature of the ox. The artist balances the human figure with the animal companion, creating a stable, grounded image. The inclusion of the name 'LVCAS' at the base, along with the date 1579, identifies the subject clearly for the viewer. The print reflects the technical precision common in late sixteenth-century Dutch printmaking, where the medium was frequently used to disseminate religious imagery for personal devotion or inclusion in printed volumes.

The artist focuses on the physical act of creation, showing the saint with a quill in hand, his posture leaning forward in concentration. The background features a simple door and a window, providing a sense of depth without distracting from the primary subjects. This work is a clear example of the period's interest in combining theological symbolism with realistic human form. The print demonstrates the clarity and control required in copperplate engraving, where every mark is permanent and deliberate. It remains a representative piece of the era's religious art, produced during a time when such prints were essential for the spread of biblical narratives across Europe.