The engraving as model: visual sources in the iconography of Saint Didacus of Alcalá

Abstract

The circulation of engravings between Europe and America, with a mandatory stopover in the Canary Islands, was constant throughout the Early Modern period. This article analyzes the role of these illustrations as visual sources in the iconography of Saint Didacus of Alcalá, highlighting their significance in shaping formal and narrative models for artists. Through the study of various graphic works, some signed by artists such as Adriaen Collaert, Cornelis Galle, or Schiaminossi, it is shown how these images not only spread devotion to the saint but also inspired original compositions in both European and colonial contexts. The article examines prints in which Saint Didacus appears as the central figure, revealing a rich and complex iconography in which hagiographic elements, Franciscan symbols, and landscape references converge—some of which directly allude to Fuerteventura, a key location in his biography.