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Original fileB. Rathardvs presbyter
About This Work
A priest, identified as Rathard, sits in a study holding a small architectural model of a church, signifying his role as a founder. Above him, a divine vision breaks through the clouds showing a bearded warrior in classical armor subduing a dragon-like creature. In the foreground, another monk sits on the floor reading a large book, while a doorway in the center reveals a view into a courtyard where other figures gather.
This work was produced by Aegidius Sadeler, the court engraver to Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II in Prague, a center of late Renaissance Hermeticism and natural philosophy. While the subject is hagiographic, the emphasis on sacred architecture and the preservation of miraculous relics reflects the era's preoccupation with the intersection of the physical world and divine order.
Inscriptions(Latin)
B. RATHARDVS PRESBYTER. Fundamenta locat VIRTVS celestibus aris: Diruit ARNVLPHI, grande locata scelus. Tempus edax, iterum surrecta sacraria soluit: Tertia iam moles non ruitura manet. Nam DIVI portat iam lipsana sacra RATHARDI, Firmius ac olim fessus Olympon ATLAS. Puluis aroma halat, spirant sacra pignora nardum, FLOS IPSVM NVMEN VIRGINITATIS OLET.
Translation
B. RATHARDUS, PRIEST. Virtue lays the foundations for heavenly altars: Arnulf's great crime destroyed those once placed there. Devouring time dissolved the shrines raised up again: Now the third structure remains, destined not to fall. For it now carries the holy relics of the divine RATHARDUS, Atlas, weary, standing firmer than once he stood beneath Olympus. The dust exhales perfume, the sacred pledges breathe spikenard, THE VERY FLOWER OF VIRGINITY SMELLS OF THE DIVINITY.
Connected Texts
Aegidius Sadeler
The artist was the primary engraver for the Rudolfine court, responsible for disseminating the visual language of the Prague circle's philosophical and artistic interests.
Matthäus Rader, 'Bavaria Sancta'
This print is part of a series documenting the lives of Bavarian saints, often associated with the Counter-Reformation effort to reclaim sacred history.
Collections
Provenance & Source
Object
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
paper
width 156 mm x height 220 mm
religious
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3-flash-preview on April 2, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.