Wikimedia Commons · CC0 1.0 · Hover to magnify, click for fullscreen
Original fileS. Erhardvs episcopvs ratisbon
About This Work
Saint Erhard stands in a simple robe, gesturing in blessing toward a man on a crutch and a kneeling woman. Behind the saint, his discarded bishop’s miter and staff are visible on a shelf and leaning against a post, signaling his choice of humility over rank. In the distance, the cityscape of Regensburg with its prominent cathedral provides a stark contrast to the modest foreground scene.
Engraved by Aegidius Sadeler, the court artist to Holy Emperor Rudolf II, this work reflects the high mannerist style of the Prague court. The inscription’s claim that 'all the laws of Nature' yield to the saint connects the miraculous to the Rudolfine preoccupation with natural philosophy and the hidden forces governing the world.
Inscriptions(Latin)
S. ERHARDVS EPISCOPVS RATISBON. Mitratas alij quantâ ambitione cathedras Quærunt, tu tantâ relligione fugis; Et mauis inter centones viuere cento Quam gemino pressum vertice ferre caput. Interea claudi vestigia corrigis; agros Proscripta morbi viuere peste iubes: Dispellis noctes oculis, solemq. reducis; Omnia Naturæ iam tibi iura litant.
Translation
ST. ERHARD, BISHOP OF RATISBON. While others seek mitred chairs with such ambition, You flee them with such devotion; And prefer to live as a patchwork man among rags Than to bear your head pressed by a double-pointed crown. Meanwhile you correct the steps of the lame; you command fields To live, with the plague of disease proscribed: You dispel the nights from eyes, and restore the sun; All the laws of Nature now offer sacrifice to you.
Connected Texts
Aegidius Sadeler
As the primary engraver for Rudolf II, Sadeler was central to the visual dissemination of the intellectual and esoteric culture of the Prague court.
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.