Malchus of chalcis as hermit is a beautiful black and white etching ( on copper) on ivory-colored paper, realized at the end of xvii century by the flemish artist joan or johannes sadeler (brussels, 1550 - venice 1600). Image dimensions: 16.7x20.7 cm. Signed on plate ''sadel. Exc.'' on the lower right corner. With a long inscription on plate on lower margin: ''acta prius fuerat sui vita monastica, malchus, a saracenis captus, ouile regit. Prefectuso gregi curat pecus; hinc precunte numine, coenobij tecta adamata subit''. In excellent condition, except for a minor stain on higher left coner and a usual yellowing of the paper due to the age. A beautiful wooden frame included, cm 25.4 x 1 x 29.3 this old master's original print with a lifetime impression and with a full mastery of this artistic medium, tells the story of the catholic syrian saint, malchus of chalcis. The only child of a farming family, worked as a shepherd and spent his free time praying. His family hoped he would build a family and marry, but malchus felt a call to the religious life. Pursuing his goal, he became a monk and a vegetarian, eating only dates, cheese and milk, as the etching shows. When malchus’ father died, he left the monastery against his abbot‘s orders to return home and help his family. On the road, he and a group of pilgrims to him bound, were kidnapped by saracen raiders and sold into slavery. He was forced to marry another slave, but converted her to christianity, and the two lived as brother and sister. They eventually escaped, returning to malchus’ old monastery where they lived the religious life; malchus was often called on to tell his story as a lesson about disobeying your abbot. Legend says that while they were on the road to the monastery, the escaped slaves were protected by a lion. Johannes sadeler comes from one of the most renowned family of flemish engravers, active in the 16th and 17th century. The best known is gillis (antwerp 1570 - prague 1629), who stayed in munich (1590, 1594) and in rome (1593); from 1600 was active at the court of prague. He was influenced by h. Goltzius; and made engravings of sacred and secular subjects, portraits, landscapes. Jan or johannnes (brussels 1550 - venice 1600) was in munich as a court engraver (1588-95) and then in italy. He left prints of various subjects (series of the seven planets, 1585). We should also mention his brother raphael (antwerp around 1560 - munich around 1628). This artwork is shipped from italy. Under existing legislation, any artwork in italy created over 70 years ago by an artist who has died requires a licence for export regardless of the work’s market price. The shipping may require additional handling days to require the licence according to the final destination of the artwork.