The Virgin with the Swaddled Child (copy)

The Virgin with the Swaddled Child (copy) by Albrecht Dürer is a finely executed engraving classified as a print, dated broadly to the period between 1485 and 1600. This extensive time frame acknowledges the creation of the original composition, attributed to Dürer’s circle, alongside the later execution of this specific reproductive work.

The composition adheres to the revered tradition of the Madonna and Child, centering the Virgin Mary looking down upon the infant Christ. The child is depicted fully swaddled, a detail common in late medieval and Renaissance religious imagery that hints at the wrapping of linen cloths after the Crucifixion. The medium of engraving requires immense technical precision; the artist carefully cut lines into a metal plate using a burin, allowing for the deep shadows and textural differences visible in the Virgin’s drapery and the tight binding of the swaddled child.

During the Northern Renaissance, masters like Dürer revolutionized the accessibility of art through mass-produced prints. Although this specific piece is recorded as a copy, it underscores the profound commercial and artistic influence Dürer exerted, ensuring his groundbreaking designs reached vast audiences across Europe. This enduring depiction of the Madonna and Child resides within the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, providing an essential example of how artistic concepts were reproduced and disseminated throughout the 16th century. Its historical significance and age ensure that copies of this image are frequently utilized in public domain art resources today.