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Original fileSpiridon van Cyprus als kluizenaar
About This Work
The foreground shows an elderly, bearded Saint Spyridon seated in a moment of contemplation, holding a rosary and a book. To the left, several novices are gathered inside a rustic dwelling made of wattle and wood, engaged in reading and study. The scene is set in a wild, wooded mountainous area, emphasizing the isolation and discipline of the ascetic life.
This print belongs to the 'Solitudo' series, which popularized the lives of the Desert Fathers during the late 16th century. It reflects the era's fascination with the 'contemplative life' (vita contemplativa), a theme that bridged Christian mysticism and the Neoplatonic ideal of the solitary philosopher seeking divine truth through the subduing of the passions.
Inscriptions(Latin)
Sadel: exc: Tirones in monte cauo pia scripta docere, Et labor & studium SPIRIDIONIS erat. Vincere quo prauos affectus carne subacta Possent, ac structos dæmonis arte dolos. 15
Translation
Sadel: exc: To teach the pious writings to the recruits on the hollow mountain, Was both the labor & the study of SPIRIDION. So that they might overcome depraved affections with the flesh subdued, And the snares constructed by the art of the demon. 15
Connected Texts
Vitae Patrum
The print is based on the hagiographical accounts of the Desert Fathers found in the 'Lives of the Fathers,' a foundational text for the tradition of asceticism and spiritual discipline.
Collections
Provenance & Source
Object
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
paper
height 182 mm x width 204 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.