The Visitation, from "The Life of the Virgin" (copy)

The Visitation, from "The Life of the Virgin" (copy) by Albrecht Dürer is a significant woodcut print dating from approximately 1505-1515. This impression, currently residing in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, replicates one of the twenty scenes from the highly influential series depicting the life of the Virgin Mary. Though classified as a copy, the print attests to the immediate and widespread popularity of Dürer’s original compositions, which revolutionized the medium of graphic arts across Europe.

The scene focuses on the scriptural moment when the Virgin Mary meets her cousin, Saint Elizabeth, a pivotal event marking the recognition of Christ’s impending birth. The interaction between the two women dominates the center, framed by a meticulously detailed Northern Renaissance landscape that extends deep into the background.

Dürer’s original design showcases his masterful handling of the woodcut medium, utilizing deep black lines and varied textures to convey volume and depth. While the focus is sacred, the composition is rich in worldly detail, including men accompanying the main figures and a small dog rendered naturalistically in the foreground. This incorporation of everyday elements within a religious context made the work particularly accessible and enduring. The continued production of these prints, even in copied form, underscores the foundational role the artist played in establishing religious imagery as widely available public domain art. This work serves as an important document reflecting the enduring technical and spiritual legacy of Dürer’s celebrated series.