Saint Mark writing his gospel, winged lion at the right 1531 - 1576

Giulio Bonasone created this engraving of Saint Mark writing his gospel sometime in the 16th century. It is a product of the artistic and religious institutions of Renaissance Italy. The figure of Saint Mark, identified by the winged lion, is not simply a devotional image but evokes the power of the Church and the word of God in society. Bonasone’s print reproduces an earlier design by another artist, suggesting the complex networks of patronage and influence operating at the time. Printmaking enabled the wide distribution of images, playing a crucial role in shaping religious and cultural identities. To understand this work more fully, one might consult historical archives, theological treatises, and artists’ biographies to uncover the social, political, and religious contexts in which such images were created and circulated. Recognizing art as a product of specific historical forces reminds us that its meaning is always contingent.