1553
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Nativity is a 1553 ink by Heinrich Aldegrever, a Northern Renaissance work, depicting Adoration of the Shepherds, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows Mary kneeling beside the baby Jesus. Joseph and shepherds stand close by in a simple stable. The scene glows with soft light and careful lines. Heinrich Aldegrever used tiny, crossed lines to shade the image. This technique creates smooth shadows and sharp details. The print feels almost three-dimensional. Try making your own engraving by scratching lines into soft metal.
Heinrich Aldegrever or Aldegraf was a German painter and engraver. He was one of the "Little Masters", the group of German artists making small old master prints in the generation after Albrecht Dürer.
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