Portrait of the Evangelist Mark

Description Mark is depicted seated at a heavy desk, dipping his quill pen in ink as he prepares to continue writing in the book on his lap. His appearance, dressed in drapery and sandals, recalls the classical tradition of author portraits. Mark looks at his symbol, the lion, in the upper right corner.

Provenance Freising, Germany, ca. 865-875; Germany, 19th century; Leon Gruel and Robert Engelmann, Paris, late 19th-early 20th century [mode of acquisition unknown, no.78]; Henry Walters, Baltimore, February 19, 1917 [mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.

Credit Acquired by Henry Walters, 1917