1520
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Beautiful Virgin of Regensburg on an Altar is a 1520 ink by Albrecht Altdorfer, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This print shows a woman holding a baby, framed by an ornate altar. She sits in a niche with two angels on either side, one playing a lute. The background is dark, making the figures stand out against a stone-like surface. Small cherubs and decorative patterns fill the edges, adding to the detailed look. The artist used fine lines and shading to create depth, a trick called cross-hatching. This technique makes the figures look three-dimensional even though it’s just ink on paper. Next, check out how engraving works to see how artists like this made prints.
Albrecht Altdorfer (c. 1480 – 12 February 1538) was a German painter, engraver and architect of the Renaissance working in Regensburg. Along with Lucas Cranach the Elder and Wolf Huber he is regarded to be the main…
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