1519
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Dance of Saint Mary Magdalene is a 1519 ink by Lucas van Leyden, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This crowded scene shows a mix of people dancing, playing music, and lounging under a big tree. Some wear fancy hats and clothes, while others look like farmers or musicians. In the background, a landscape stretches with tiny figures hunting or working. The lines are sharp and detailed, and the whole image feels busy but balanced. The artist packed a lot into this small space, using tiny figures to tell a story. The mix of dancing and resting suggests a celebration, but the background hunt might hint at something deeper. This is an example of engraving, a technique where artists etch lines into metal to create prints.
Lucas van Leyden (1494 – 8 August 1533), was a Dutch painter and printmaker in engraving and woodcut. Lucas van Leyden was among the first Dutch exponents of genre painting and was a very accomplished engraver.
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