The Virgin and Child with the Infant Christ and Saint Anne

The Virgin and Child with the Infant Christ and Saint Anne is a pivotal 1500 engraving by the German Renaissance master Albrecht Dürer. This highly detailed print exemplifies the artist's unparalleled technical skill in using the burin. Through meticulous cross-hatching and varied line weight, Dürer achieves remarkable depth, texture, and complex tonal variations, transforming the medium of engraving into a vehicle for high art. Dürer’s mastery of line work cemented his reputation across Europe as the leading exponent of sophisticated Northern prints during the early 16th century.

The iconography centers on the devotional subject of the "Holy Kinship," specifically depicting the seldom-grouped figures of the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child, and Saint Anne, who was the mother of the Virgin. This arrangement highlights the maternal lineage and was a popular theme in Northern European art around the turn of the century. Dürer presents the figures with a monumental, sculptural gravity typical of his mature style. The youthful Virgin Mary and the Infant Christ are placed prominently, while Saint Anne observes the pair. The detailed architectural elements and meticulously rendered drapery reflect both the classical aspirations of the Italian Renaissance and the precision inherent in Northern artistic traditions.

As one of Dürer’s key prints from this period, the work illustrates the artist's ability to disseminate complex, sophisticated religious imagery widely across regions and social classes. This specific impression is housed within the renowned collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is preserved as an essential example of Renaissance printmaking. Because of its historical importance and age, high-resolution scans of the engraving are often found within the public domain, allowing for broad access and close study of Dürer’s masterful technique.