1500
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Adoration of the Magi (Virgin in the Grotto) is a 1500 ink by Italian 15th Century, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a woman holding a child, surrounded by a crowd of small, winged figures. The scene looks like it’s set in a cave or grotto, with rough stone walls and a rocky ceiling. The woman is dressed in flowing robes, and the figures around her seem to be floating or gathered closely. The artist used fine lines and shading to create depth, making the figures and textures pop. This kind of detailed linework is typical of Renaissance engravings. Check out how this work uses engraving.
This anonymous Italian engraver from the 1490s carved images that could be peeled apart like paper dolls—each knot in the "First Knot" print was cut from a single sheet so you could lift the loops right off the page.
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