The Holy Family in Egypt, from The Life of the Virgin

The Holy Family in Egypt, from The Life of the Virgin is a seminal work by Albrecht Dürer German, 1471-1528, created in 1502. This celebrated piece is one of nineteen individual prints that comprise his extensive series, The Life of the Virgin, a major project executed between 1500 and 1505.

Executed as a woodcut in black ink on tan laid paper, this print exemplifies the revolutionary approach Dürer brought to the medium in Germany during the early sixteenth century. His unparalleled ability to render complex tonal variations and detailed natural settings using only linear cutting techniques elevated the woodcut from a craft medium to a high art form, demonstrating the capacity of prints to carry significant pictorial weight.

The scene depicts the apocryphal resting period of the Holy Family during their flight into Egypt. Unlike earlier devotional depictions focused purely on the journey, Dürer places Mary, Joseph, and the infant Christ within a richly detailed Northern Renaissance forest setting. The meticulous carving captures the intricate texture of the trees and surrounding environment. Dürer’s innovative use of light and shadow highlights the tender interaction between the figures, providing a sense of both immediacy and spiritual reverence characteristic of the era.

This influential print series was instrumental in establishing Dürer’s reputation across Europe and remains one of the most widely referenced bodies of work in the history of graphic arts. The continued importance of Dürer's graphical output is underscored by the inclusion of this impression in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As a masterwork of German Renaissance art, impressions of The Holy Family in Egypt often feature in scholarly discourse, and high-quality images of this work are frequently made available through public domain initiatives, ensuring broad access to the artist's foundational legacy.