The Church Enthroned
1490/1536
Medium
Etching in black on cream laid paper
Dimensions
Image/plate/sheet: 22.9 × 15.9 cm (9 1/16 × 6 5/16 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
4181
Art Historical Context
Daniel Hopfer, a pioneering German printmaker active during the Renaissance, created *The Church Enthroned* as an etching in black ink on cream laid paper. Working in Augsburg between roughly 1490 and 1536, Hopfer helped introduce etching as a viable artistic medium, moving beyond its earlier use on armor to produce standalone prints. The technique allowed for fluid, expressive lines that captured intricate details with remarkable precision on a modest sheet measuring just under 23 by 16 centimeters. This work reflects the religious and cultural climate of early sixteenth-century Germany, a p...