The Circumcision of Christ, from The Life of the Virgin

The Circumcision of Christ, from The Life of the Virgin by Albrecht Dürer German, 1471-1528, is a definitive example of German Renaissance printmaking, executed around 1505. This work is a detailed woodcut in black ink printed on tan laid paper, highlighting Dürer’s revolutionary approach to the medium. Dürer was instrumental in elevating the woodcut from a simple illustrative technique to an expressive art form capable of complex modeling, texture, and shading traditionally reserved for engravings. This piece belongs to the artist’s seminal series, The Life of the Virgin, which showcases 19 narrative scenes produced between 1500 and 1510.

The subject matter depicts the ritual cleansing and naming of Christ eight days after his birth, set within a grand, though somewhat anachronistic, architectural interior. The composition masterfully balances figures in the foreground with the recession of space, a hallmark of Renaissance perspective adapted by Dürer to the restrictive woodcut medium.

As a leading figure of the Northern Renaissance, Dürer utilized prints to distribute his artistic innovations widely across Europe, establishing Germany as a center for graphic arts. The intricate cross-hatching and dense application of line demonstrate the technical brilliance required to carve such detail into a wood block. This particular impression of the work resides within the esteemed collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Given its age and status as a classic piece of early 16th-century German art, this image is frequently encountered in public domain collections, ensuring continued study and appreciation of Dürer’s influence on the history of prints.