St. Anne, the Virgin and Christ Child

1505

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Dominant colour

St. Anne, the Virgin and Christ Child is a 1505 by Hans Wechtlin, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Hans Wechtlin
When & what style?: 1505 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This drawing shows three women sitting together in a quiet, detailed scene. The woman on the left holds a baby, while the middle figure cradles a child who looks older. Around them, angels perch on tall columns, playing instruments or holding objects. The background is filled with swirling patterns and small figures, giving a sense of depth. Notice how the artist used shading to make the figures look solid and three-dimensional, even though it’s just a drawing. The way light and shadow separate the people from the background is a key trick. Try looking up chiaroscuro to see how this technique works in other art.

About the artist

Artist

Hans Wechtlin

Johann, Johannes or Hans Wechtlin was a German Renaissance artist, active between at least 1502 and 1526, whose woodcuts are his only certainly surviving work.

See the richer artist page