St. George kneeling by the slain dragon. The princess running away in the background

Artist/Maker

Material / Technique

Dimensionsh x w: Mått 23,5 x 21,4 cm

Inventory numberNMH 1271/1863

AcqusitionTransferred 1866 from Kongl. Museum (Carl Gustaf Tessin)

Other titlesTitle (sv): S:t Göran knäböjer framför den dräpta draken. I bakgrunden springer prinsessan sin väg Title (en): St. George kneeling by the slain dragon. The princess running away in the background Inventory title (sv): Scener utur St. Georges legend

DescriptionDescription: Bottom edge slightly torn. Laid down. Numbered in pen and black ink in lower right corner: 1089 (Sparre) [Bjurström, It. Drawings, cat. no. 1342] [Description for Bjurström It. Drawings nr 1341-1345:] This and the following four numbers form a series representing the deeds of St. George. the most complete version of the saint´s legend is that told by the learned Dominican and later Bishop of Genua, Jacobus de Voragine, in his "Legenda Aurea" containting c. 150 legends of Christian saints. The oldest dated manuscript is from 1282. The legend falls into two parts, the first treating the saint´s rescue of a young princess from the clutches of a dragon, the second dealing with his martyrdome in Rome in 303 under the reign of Emperor Diocletian. Algardi similarly executed a drawing of St. George and, in 1643, an opera by Luigi Manzini, "Il dragone di Macedonia", was published at Bologna. George was as soldier from Cappadocia in Asia Minor, who, upon his arrival in the city of Silena in nearby Lydia, heard about the fate of a princess about to be sacrificed to a dragon. He speared the dragon, urging the girl to attach her girdle to its neck. Thus wounded and pacified, the dragon was led into the city, where the terrified population immediately accepted St. George´s offer of communal baptism- of 20.000 men, not counting the women and children.

Collection

Geographical origin

MaterialRed crayon (Crayon), Paper, Ink

TechniqueWash drawing, Drawing