St Anne and the Virgin with the Child
Original title: St Anne and the Virgin with the Child
kurzbeschreibung
Lucas Cranach the Elder produced this undated woodcut, which presents Saint Anne with her daughter Mary and the Christ Child. A Renaissance sheet, it blends an intimate family mood with a heavenly apparition above.
Description
Mary cradles the naked Christ Child in her arms while Anne stands beside her. The figures' garments are heavy and full of folds, their shadows worked out with thin lines. Above, God the Father appears on a throne, surrounded by rays and angels. The layout feels symmetrical, with the central figures clearly emphasized. Light descending from above brings out the faces and the rays of the celestial scene.
Context
Cranach ranks among the foremost German artists of the Reformation era and left behind numerous religious woodcuts. The motif of Saint Anne, known as Anna selbdritt, was especially widespread in Germany during the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The sheet lacks a precise date but is placed in Cranach's mature period. The print probably served private devotion and, through the medium of printing, reached a wide audience.
Impact
Familiar closeness and transcendent elevation merge, creating a quiet, devotional atmosphere. The clear linework and symmetrical arrangement give the sheet a solemn, almost iconic presence.
Technique
For this woodcut, the design was cut into a wooden block and then printed on paper. Shading and internal structures arise from lines of varying direction and density, as is characteristic of Renaissance printmaking. At 14 × 11 3/16 inches (35.6 × 28.4 cm), the sheet format is relatively large, suggesting careful execution.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)