Reproductie van een prent van Sint Maarten door Martin Schongauer before 1872

This is a reproduction of an engraving of Saint Martin by Martin Schongauer. It was printed by Simonau & Toovey. Here, Saint Martin is caught in the act of dividing his cloak, a symbol of charity, with a kneeling beggar. The sword in Martin’s hand is a symbol of a soldier and symbolizes the moment when Martin was a soldier and renounced violence, choosing instead a path of compassion. The act of dividing one's cloak is far more than a simple act of giving. It’s an echo of ancient sacrificial rituals, where the offering is not merely an object, but a piece of oneself. We see this echoed through time, from the Mithraic mysteries where the bull is sacrificed to the stories of saints giving up their earthly possessions. The shared cloak, a symbol of protection and warmth, becomes a potent emblem of human connection. This image, rooted in the late Middle Ages, touches something primal within us. In an unending cycle, such symbols reappear, transformed yet still potent, reminding us of the enduring power of empathy.