Saint Eustace

Here, an encounter with nature dramatically
alters a man’s journey through life. After
Roman general Placidas tracked a stag in
the forest, he saw a miraculous apparition
of a crucifix between its horns. The miracle
resulted in the general’s (thereafter Saint Eustace) immediate conversion to
Christianity. Albrecht Dürer’s largest
engraving demonstrates his mastery of tonal
values and textures. His intense interest in
nature’s variety makes finding the crucifix a
kind of treasure hunt. Dürer took particular interest in the hunting dogs by carefully
posing them to show five different aspects of
the canine figure.