Who painted The Birth of Mary?

The Birth of Mary was painted by Hans von Kulmbach in 1520.

Where can I see The Birth of Mary?

The Birth of Mary is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is The Birth of Mary?

The Birth of Mary is associated with Mannerism.

Can I buy a print of The Birth of Mary?

Museum-quality prints of The Birth of Mary are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

The Birth of Mary by Hans von Kulmbach (1520)

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The subject matter aligns with traditional iconography surrounding the early life of the Virgin, emphasizing her human origins and familial context.

Hans von Kulmbach's painting depicts the birth of the Virgin Mary, a specific episode from Christian hagiography. As a work of religious art, the composition focuses on the nativity of the mother of Jesus rather than Christ himself. The subject matter aligns with traditional iconography surrounding the early life of the Virgin, emphasizing her human origins and familial context.

Created during the early sixteenth century, the panel serves as a visual representation of this sacred event, intended for devotional contemplation within a religious framework.

Technique & Style

Executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, this religious work measures 110 cm in height and 97 cm in width. The painting dates to approximately 1520, though some records suggest an inception as early as 1511. Attributed to Hans von Kulmbach, the piece depicts the birth of the Virgin Mary.

While earlier descriptions occasionally labeled the work as anonymous, it is firmly associated with Kulmbach in modern scholarship. The composition utilizes the traditional medium of oil on panel common to Northern Renaissance religious art of the period.

History & Provenance

The Birth of Mary is dated to 1520 by the painting’s medium and classification record.

The work entered the collection of the Mauritshuis in The Hague after World War II, having passed through the Munich Central Collecting Point, which handled art recovered from the Hermann Göring Collection. Prior to that, it was owned by Catalina von Pannwitz, indicating a private provenance before the Nazi-era transfers.

The work is held by the Mauritshuis, The Hague, where it remains in the permanent collection. It is recorded with inventory number 974.

Its exhibition history includes display at the Munich Central Collecting Point in 1945–46, reflecting post-war recovery of cultural assets previously associated with the Hermann Göring Collection.

Context

Attributed to Hans von Kulmbach, The Birth of Mary is a religious panel painting created in 1520. While some records note an inception date of 1511, the work is canonically dated to 1520 in authoritative contexts. The piece measures 110 cm in height and 97 cm in width, executed in oil on panel.

Its provenance is complex, having passed through the Munich Central Collecting Point and the Hermann Göring Collection before entering the holdings of the Mauritshuis. The painting depicts the birth of the Virgin Mary, a standard subject in Northern Renaissance religious art, yet it has occasionally been cataloged as anonymous in certain databases despite its attribution to Kulmbach. The work's journey through various state and private collections, including the Stichting Nederlands Kunstbezit, reflects the turbulent displacement of art during the mid-20th century.

Overview

Hans von Kulmbach’s The Birth of Mary is an oil on canvas executed around 1520. The work portrays an intimate domestic interior where a newborn infant is attended by five women engaged in everyday chores. Warm wooden flooring, a window with green drapery, and modest household objects create a settled atmosphere that reflects the artist’s focus on quiet, lived‑in moments.

Artist & collection

Artist

Hans von Kulmbach

Hans Suess, known as Hans von Kulmbach (1480 in Kulmbach, Franconia – prior to 3 December 1522 in Nuremberg), was a German artist active in Poland. Hans von Kulmbach was the artist who created the Kraków St John's Altar.