Artwork
The Virgin and Saint Anna
The Virgin and Saint Anna is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Lucas van Leyden. It dates from 1516 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
The woman on the right holds a baby, while the one in the middle reaches out to touch the child’s hand.
This black-and-white engraving shows three women standing close together. The woman on the right holds a baby, while the one in the middle reaches out to touch the child’s hand. The woman on the left wears a hooded cloak and stands slightly apart, looking down.
The year "1516" is written at the top, showing when this was made. The lines and shading create depth, making the clothes and faces look almost three-dimensional.
Next, look up engraving to see how artists like this one carved images into metal plates.
Overview
Lucas van Leyden’s 1516 engraving titled *The Virgin and Saint Anna* presents a compact, monochrome composition of three women. The central figure reaches toward a child held by the woman on the right, while a cloaked figure on the left watches pensively. The work’s fine linear incisions and subtle hatching give the figures a sculptural presence despite the flat medium.
Subject & Meaning
The scene draws on the biblical relationship between the Virgin Mary and her mother, Saint Anna, emphasizing familial devotion and the transmission of faith. By portraying the tender interaction between the child and the two women, the print underscores themes of lineage, maternal care, and the sanctity of the Holy Family within a devotional context.
Technique & Style
Executed as an engraved copper plate, the image relies on precise line work and cross‑hatching to model volume and texture. Van Leyden’s deft handling of line creates a sense of depth, rendering folds in clothing and delicate facial features. The composition reflects the early Netherlandish attention to detail and the emerging interest in narrative clarity.
History & Provenance
Created during the early sixteenth century, the print marks a period when van Leyden was establishing himself as a pre‑eminent Dutch engraver. Though the original plate is lost, surviving impressions have circulated among collectors since the Renaissance, illustrating the artist’s reputation for producing finely crafted religious prints for a broad audience.
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Artist & collection
Artist
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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