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Original fileHeilige Lucius predikt voor de menigte
About This Work
The saint stands prominently in a city square, gesturing toward a celestial vision of the Holy Trinity while holding a pilgrim's staff topped with a cross. At his feet lie a discarded crown and scepter, illustrating his rejection of earthly wealth and power. A diverse crowd of onlookers in varied 17th-century attire surrounds him, expressing states of devotion, curiosity, and contemplation.
Created by Aegidius Sadeler, the imperial engraver at the court of Rudolf II in Prague, this print reflects the era's fascination with historical continuity and the 'vita contemplativa.' The theme of renouncing material sovereignty for spiritual truth aligns with the Neoplatonic and Stoic-Christian values prevalent in the Rudolfine intellectual circle.
Inscriptions(Latin)
S. LVCIUS. Primus ab extremis LVCI rex Diue Britannis Dona Deo fasces, et diadema litas, Gemmatasq; togas, ebur, atq; insignia regum, Vrbes, ac populos, castra, phalangas, opes. Scilicet est maior regnis et regibus ipsis, Spernere qui titulos, totaq; regna potest. Et tamen hoc nihil est; qui spretis omnibus addit Se quoq;, caelesti dignus honore venit.
Translation
S. LUCIUS. First of the furthest kings, Lucius, to the Divine Britons You offer gifts to God, the fasces and the diadem, The gemmed robes, ivory, and the regalia of kings, Cities and peoples, camps, phalanxes, and riches. Truly, he is greater than kingdoms and kings themselves, Who can spurn titles and entire realms. And yet this is nothing; he who, having spurned all things, Adds himself as well, comes worthy of heavenly honor.
Connected Texts
Jacobus de Voragine
The life of Saint Lucius and his renunciation of the British throne are documented in the Legenda Aurea (Golden Legend), a primary source for Renaissance hagiography.
Collections
Provenance & Source
Object
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
paper
width 153 mm x height 230 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.