Saint Valentine

German 15th Century

National Gallery of Art

This print shows three people standing over two more people who lay on the ground. On the left, a tall man stands facing the right. He wears long red robes over a white gown, and a tall white pointed hat with red details. There is a yellow halo around his head, and he holds a tall golden staff with a curved top. On the right, two shorter people turn towards him. A man in a green robe holds a yellow cross and a box or envelope, while a woman with blonde hair and a red dress holds a chicken. Above them, several yellow crosses and other objects hang from a yellow bar. By their feet, two people with blonde hair lay on the ground, their eyes closed. All of the people in the print have light orange skin. A pig and a cat-like animal also stand on the ground. By the pig, in the bottom left corner, is a shield with a heraldic symbol that includes three crescent moons. The colorful red, green, orange, and yellow pigments have been applied imprecisely within the bold, black outlines of the print, so many areas of paint are patchy, with the off-white paper beneath showing through.