The Virgin and Child with Two Angels
1523
Medium
Engraving; touched with gray wash on face and shoulders of Virgin; first state
Dimensions
sheet: 5 15/16 x 4 1/16 in. (15.1 x 10.4 cm) plate: 5 7/8 x 4 in. (14.9 x 10.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1927
Accession Number
27.5.4
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the early 16th century, Dutch artist Lucas van Leyden (1494–1533) was a virtuoso of Northern Renaissance printmaking, rivaling Albrecht Dürer in his meticulous technique and narrative flair. Created in 1523, *The Virgin and Child with Two Angels* exemplifies his skill in crafting intimate devotional images. This engraving captures a tender moment: the Virgin Mary cradles the Christ Child, flanked by two adoring angels, evoking the spiritual piety central to late medieval and early Reformation Europe. Such Madonnas were beloved for personal worship, bridging divine grace with everyday faith....
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...