The Nativity, from The Life of the Virgin
1502–3
Medium
Woodcut
Dimensions
Sheet: 11 5/8 × 8 3/16 in. (29.6 × 20.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Julia H. Manges, in memory of her husband, Dr. Morris Manges, 1960
Accession Number
60.598.53
Tags
Art Historical Context
Albrecht Dürer's *The Nativity, from The Life of the Virgin*1502–3) the sacred moment of Christ's birth in exquisite detail, part of a renowned series of 20 woodcuts narrating the Virgin Mary's life. Created during the Northern Renaissance, when Dürer was at the peak of his innovative printmaking career, this work reflects his profound influence on German art. As a leading figure in the Renaissance, Dürer bridged Italian humanism with Northern precision, elevating woodcuts from mere illustrations to masterpieces of fine art. Printed on a modest sheet measuring 11 5/8 × 8 3/16 inches, the wood...
About the Artist
Albrecht Dürer · 1471–1528
Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528) stands as the preeminent figure of the Northern Renaissance and arguably the most influential artist in the history of printmaking. Born in Nuremberg on May 21, 1471, and dying in the same city on April 6, 1528, Dürer revolutionized the status of the artist in Northern Europe, transforming printmaking from a commercial craft into an independent fine art and establishing ...