St. Mary Magdalene on the Clouds (reverse copy)
n.d.
Dimensions
sheet: 4 9/16 x 2 7/8 in. (11.6 x 7.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Ruth Peterson on behalf of the Estate of Jacob Frey, 1972
Accession Number
1972.524.10
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold *St. Mary Magdalene on Clouds (reverse copy)*, a delicate print by the Dutch Northern Renaissance master Lucas van Leyden (1494–1533). Created around the early 16th century, this intimate engraving captures the penitent saint floating amid ethereal clouds, a common motif in devotional art symbolizing her heavenly intercession and spiritual elevation. Van Leyden, a prodigy engraver often compared to Albrecht Dürer, excelled in transforming small-scale prints into richly detailed narratives, making religious imagery accessible for personal prayer books and private altars. Measuring just ...
About the Artist
Lucas van Leyden · 1484–1533
Lucas van Leyden (1494–1533) was a Dutch painter and printmaker who stands among the greatest engravers of the Northern Renaissance. Born in Leiden as either Lucas Hugensz or Lucas Jacobsz, he lived and worked primarily in his native city, achieving international renown that rivaled the German master Albrecht Dürer. Lucas van Leyden revolutionized Netherlandish printmaking and was among the first...