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According to legend, John the Evangelist was given a cup of poisoned wine that he drank without harm. As emblems of the tale, John’s chalice symbolizes the Christian faith prevailing over death, signified by the serpent. As a print, Meckenem's representation of Saint John like a sculpture in an architectural niche made it possible for more people to personally own a religious image that they might otherwise only have seen at a church.

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Details

  • Title: St. John with Serpent in Chalice
  • Creator: Israhel van Meckenem (German, c. 1440-1503), Hans Holbein (German, c. 1465-1524)
  • Date Created: c. 1480-1500
  • Type: Print
  • Rights: CC0
  • External Link: https://clevelandart.org/art/1925.991
  • Medium: engraving
  • State of work: only state
  • Department: Prints
  • Culture: Germany, 15th century
  • Credit Line: Gift of The Print Club of Cleveland
  • Collection: PR - Engraving
  • Accession Number: 1925.991

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