Artwork
The Virgin Nursing the Child
The Virgin Nursing the Child is an ink print by the Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. It dates from 1519 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:in plate, bottom left: 1519 / AD [artist's monogram]; verso, lower center, in graphite by a later hand: lty; verso, lower left, in graphite by a later hand: 88 [bounded by parallel horizontal lines]; verso, bottom left, in graphite by a later hand: B.36; verso, bottom right, in graphite by a later hand: 63 [upside down]
About this work
Overview
Albrecht Dürer’s 1519 engraving presents the Virgin Mary cradling an infant Jesus. The composition is intimate, with the child’s nudity emphasizing his humanity while Mary’s expression conveys a restrained melancholy. The work’s delicate balance of light and shadow gives the figures a palpable presence despite the flatness of the print medium.
Subject & Meaning
The image focuses on the tender act of nursing, a motif that underscores both the physical dependence of the child and the theological concept of divine nourishment. Mary’s subdued gaze and the soft modeling of her robes suggest a contemplative sorrow, reflecting the foreknowledge of Christ’s future suffering.
Technique & Style
Executed with a burin on copper, Dürer incised fine, intersecting lines that create deep chiaroscuro effects. The engraving’s tonal range emerges from the interplay of densely cross‑hatched areas and open spaces, allowing the forms to appear volumetric. The precision of the line work exemplifies Dürer’s mature mastery of printmaking.
History & Provenance
Created near the end of Dürer’s career, this print is among his final works before his death in 1528. It entered the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it remains on display as part of the museum’s holdings of Northern Renaissance prints.
Context
The engraving belongs to a tradition of devotional images that circulated widely in the early sixteenth century, serving both private contemplation and public instruction. Dürer’s choice of a simple, emotionally resonant scene reflects the period’s shift toward more personal expressions of faith within the broader framework of Catholic iconography.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Albrecht Dürer spent his life in Nuremberg, a busy German city where artists traded prints like currency.
![Madonna and Child [obverse], by Albrecht Dürer](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/albrecht-durer--madonna-and-child-obverse--d7b8ebf05d22ebe5-w320.webp)
![Lot and His Daughters [reverse], by Albrecht Dürer](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/albrecht-durer--lot-and-his-daughters-reverse--b4ebf9b282faa17a-w320.webp)
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