The Virgin and the Child

The Virgin and the Child by Albrecht Dürer exemplifies the mastery of German Renaissance printmaking during the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Created across Dürer’s prolific period between 1485 and 1528, this work is executed in the demanding medium of the woodcut, a technique the artist elevated from simple illustration to a respected fine art.

Unlike the fluid possibilities of painting, the woodcut medium compelled Dürer to achieve depth, volume, and texture through the meticulous use of cross-hatching and carefully orchestrated negative space. The piece centers on the familiar iconography of the Madonna and Child, conveying a quiet intimacy typical of Northern Renaissance religious devotion. While compositions vary across Dürer’s series on this theme, many include surrounding celestial figures, such as angels providing context, offering flowers, or ministering to the divine infant.

As a readily reproducible print, this classification was instrumental in disseminating Dürer’s sophisticated religious imagery and quickly solidified his international reputation. His revolutionary contributions to graphic arts pushed the limits of what could be achieved with black ink on paper, influencing generations of artists. This specific impression of the work resides within the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Due to the age and historical significance of Dürer’s prolific output, numerous high-quality examples of these influential prints are now part of the public domain, ensuring continued study of this pivotal Renaissance master.