Christ Taking Leave of His Mother, from "The Life of the Virgin"

Christ Taking Leave of His Mother, from "The Life of the Virgin" by Albrecht Dürer, is a profound example of Northern Renaissance prints. Executed in 1511, this woodcut belongs to Dürer’s celebrated series chronicling the life of the Virgin Mary, a devotional cycle aimed at a wide audience. The technique of the woodcut allowed Dürer to disseminate powerful theological imagery across Europe, transforming the market for high-quality religious art and contributing to the widespread appreciation of fine art prints.

The work depicts the poignant moment before Christ embarks on his final journey to Jerusalem, leading to his Passion. The composition centers on the intimate farewell between the Virgin Mary and her son, an unusual subject choice that emphasizes her role as a compassionate mother. The figure of the Virgin Mary, representative of the "Women" featured in the larger series, is shown here with intense, internal grief as Christ offers a final blessing and addresses her sorrow. Dürer masterfully uses line and contrast, inherent to the woodcut medium, to convey this dramatic tension, balancing the human emotion of the scene with its theological significance.

Produced during the height of Dürer’s career, this piece showcases the artist's sophisticated handling of graphic design and narrative detail, heavily influencing succeeding generations of German artists. Because of the mass reproducibility of woodcuts, many high-quality impressions of this important print series survived. The impression of Christ Taking Leave of His Mother resides in the esteemed collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it serves as a cornerstone example of early sixteenth-century German prints, accessible today through public domain resources.