The Holy Kinship

About this work

This woodcut shows a crowded scene with a woman holding a baby surrounded by many people—some standing, some kneeling, all looking toward her. The figures are simple, with soft lines and no color, just black and white. In the background, a small town sits on a hill, and a wreath with faces floats above the woman’s head. The artist packed in lots of people, likely to show family ties in a religious story. The woodcut style means it was carved into wood, then printed—like a very old poster. Try looking up woodcut to see how artists made prints this way.