A fine engraving by Aegidius Sadeler II after Bartholomeus Spranger, depicting the biblical encounter between the resurrected Christ and Mary Magdalen.

This engraving by Aegidius Sadeler II depicts the Noli me tangere scene, where the resurrected Christ appears to Mary Magdalen. The composition is based on a design by Bartholomeus Spranger, a painter associated with the court of Emperor Rudolf II in Prague. Sadeler, a master of the burin, translates Spranger's Mannerist style into a highly controlled graphic medium. Christ is shown wearing a wide-brimmed hat and carrying a spade, a traditional iconographic convention representing him as the gardener of the soul. His gesture, with an open palm, directs the viewer's attention to the stigmata on his hand. Mary Magdalen kneels before him, her expression one of recognition and devotion. The figures occupy the foreground, their forms rendered with elongated proportions and fluid, muscular contours typical of the period. The background features a landscape with architectural elements, executed with fine cross-hatching to suggest atmospheric depth. The print includes a Latin inscription at the base, which provides a theological commentary on the encounter. Sadeler's technical precision is evident in the varied line work, which defines the textures of the drapery, the skin, and the surrounding foliage. The interaction between the two figures is intimate, yet formalised by the conventions of late sixteenth-century printmaking. This work demonstrates the collaborative nature of the Prague court artists, where painters provided the invention and engravers disseminated the imagery across Europe. The print serves as an example of the sophisticated graphic output produced during the reign of Rudolf II, reflecting the intellectual and artistic climate of the era.