The Education of the Virgin, with Saint Anne Seated on a Bench Looking Upwards and Putting Her Arm Around the Virgin
Original title: The education of the Virgin, with Saint Anne seated on a bench looking upwards and putting her arm around the Virgin
kurzbeschreibung
Cornelis van Caukercken made this print of the Virgin Mary being taught by her mother Anne, likely between 1645 and 1678. It is an etching with engraving, preserved in the third of three states. Anne and Mary appear in a close embrace, both looking upward, in an interior defined by columns and curtains.
Description
Seated on a bench, Anne has wrapped her arm around Mary, who stands before her; both direct their gaze upward. Their deeply folded garments, cut in a traditional style, reveal carefully worked textures and shadows. A curtained window in the background admits only subdued light into the room. On the left, columns indicate an interior, while on the right, leaves and branches introduce a natural element into the arrangement.
Context
The Flemish engraver Cornelis van Caukercken, active in the 17th century, is known chiefly for his reproductive prints. As was common in the printmaking of his time, this sheet was probably made after a painting or drawing by another artist. The education of Mary was a favoured subject in Catholic art, emphasising piety and the role of Saint Anne. The work belongs to a larger oeuvre distinguished by careful linework and detailed rendering.
Impact
A calm, devotional mood emanates from this image, reinforced by the figures' upward gazes. Fine engraving and soft shadows give the subject sculptural depth and draw the viewer into its intimate atmosphere.
Technique
Etching and engraving are combined here: some lines were bitten with acid, others cut with a burin. This mixed method allows precise detail and a wide range of tonal values. The print is in the third of three states and was trimmed to approximately 25.5 × 17.7 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)