The Virgin Surrounded by Many Angels
Original title: The Virgin Surrounded by Many Angels
kurzbeschreibung
Albrecht Dürer's woodcut from 1518 presents Mary with the Christ Child on a throne, surrounded by a host of angels making music and gesturing. This print belongs among the major achievements of Dürer's graphic work from the Renaissance.
Description
Mary sits enthroned at the center, an angel holding a crown above her. On her lap rests the infant Jesus. Around them countless angels gather in varying poses: some play instruments, others carry flowers or objects, still others hover or kneel. Below the throne, more angels are engaged with music. The arrangement appears symmetrical, rendered in the tonal values of the monochrome woodcut.
Context
The woodcut was made in 1518, a time when Dürer was deeply occupied with religious subjects and printmaking. It falls in the late Renaissance, when Dürer was active in Nuremberg and known for his figure-rich woodcuts. The sheet belongs to a series of Marian images he produced during those years.
Impact
The precise linework and balanced placement of figures create a calm, devotional mood. The multitude of angels brings lively yet ordered movement into the picture, drawing the viewer into the heavenly realm.
Technique
Die Komposition füllt die Fläche des Blattes nahezu vollständig aus, mit Maria und dem Kind als symmetrischem Zentrum, umgeben von den in Bewegung angeordneten Engelsfiguren. Dürers feine Schnitte formen Gesichter, Gewänder und Flügel mit großer Detailgenauigkeit, während die ausschließlich schwarze Farbe die monochrome Wirkung des Druckbildes bestimmt.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)