The Holy Family in an Enclosed Garden
Albrecht Dürer, 1512
About this artwork
In the serene confines of *The Holy Family in anclosed Garden* (1512), Albrecht Dürer captures a moment of divine intimacy. Created with pen and reddish brown ink on modest sheet measuring 10 9/16 x 7 7/8 inches, this drawing from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Robert Lehman Collection depicts Virgin Mary, Christ Child, and St. Joseph amid lush foliage. The enclosed garden evokes the Hortus Conclusus—a symbol of Mary's purity and the paradise of Eden restored—blending spiritual symbolism with naturalistic detail. Dürer, a master of the Northern Renaissance, was at the height of his career in 1512, renowned for his meticulous line work that rivaled the precision of his famous engravings. Here, his fluid yet incisive strokes in reddish brown ink render textures from soft leaves to draped fabrics, showcasing his innovative fusion of Italian Renaissance humanism with German Gothic traditions. This intimate study highlights his skill in conveying emotion through minimal means, making sacred subjects feel profoundly human. Housed in the Robert Lehman Collection since 1975, this work exemplifies Dürer's enduring influence on drawing as an independent art form, inviting visitors to appreciate the quiet power of his devotional imagery.