1474
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Virgin and Child in a Courtyard is a 1474 ink by Israhel van Meckenem, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a woman with a glowing halo holding a small child. They sit on a rocky outcrop in front of a small stone building with a tower. The woman’s long hair flows down her back, and the child reaches toward her. A bare tree stands behind them, and the ground has simple grass and bushes. The artist used fine lines to create shadows and textures, like the folds in the woman’s robe. This kind of detail is typical of the time it was made. Look up engraving to see how artists like this one carved images into metal.
Israhel van Meckenem (c. 1445 – 10 November 1503), also known as Israhel van Meckenem the Younger, was a German printmaker and goldsmith, perhaps of a Dutch family origin. He was the most prolific engraver of the…
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