The Holy Family with Three Hares
Original title: The Holy Family with Three Hares
kurzbeschreibung
This woodcut by Albrecht Dürer, made around 1497–98, differs from related devotional images of the period by giving three hares the foreground. Mary sits with the Christ Child on her lap, while Joseph stands beside her holding a book. Two angels present a coat of arms bearing a cross, all set within an idyllic landscape.
Description
The layout feels symmetrical: Mary and the Christ Child form the focal point, with Joseph and the angels framing them. Dürer's Renaissance style is evident in the intricately worked lines of the figures. Trees, a house, and a town layer the background. Along the bottom edge sit the three hares. Monochrome and without shadow effects, the lighting remains even throughout.
Context
This sheet dates from Dürer's early Nuremberg period, around the time of his first Italian journey. The Holy Family motif was widespread in the late Middle Ages and Renaissance. The hares might allude to resurrection symbolism or to Mary's fertility. Nine print states attest to strong demand.
Impact
The calm, symmetrical arrangement creates a harmonious and devotional mood. Fine lines and the detailed landscape draw the eye to the central group of figures, while the hares add a cheerful note.
Technique
The block was incised and the sheet pulled, resulting in this first state of nine. The linear clarity of the process brings out the fine details: the symmetrical grouping of the Holy Family, the two angels holding the cross-marked coat of arms, the hares in the foreground, and the landscape with trees, a house, and a town in the background, with evenly distributed light and no visible shadows.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)