The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple, from The Life of the Virgin

The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple, from The Life of the Virgin, created by Albrecht Dürer German, 1471-1528 between 1503 and 1504, is a defining piece of Northern Renaissance printmaking. The work utilizes the demanding technique of the woodcut, rendered in sharp black ink on characteristically tan laid paper. Dürer elevated the quality of the woodcut medium from simple book illustration to high art, often incorporating sophisticated detail previously only found in copper engravings. This ambitious series, The Life of the Virgin, was crucial in establishing Dürer's international reputation during the early sixteenth century.

Dürer’s depiction captures the apocryphal moment when the young Virgin Mary ascends the steep steps of the Temple of Jerusalem, fulfilling the vow made by her parents, Saints Anne and Joachim. The structure of the composition emphasizes verticality and architectural grandeur, typical of contemporaneous artistic interests in Germany. As a master of the graphic arts, Dürer ensured that the emotional and spiritual weight of the scene was fully conveyed despite the intrinsic limitations of the woodcut process. This piece is part of the extensive collection of prints at the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as an excellent example of the artist’s prolific output. Many works from this era are now widely accessible in the public domain, allowing continued study of Dürer’s foundational contributions to the history of art.