Artwork
The Betrothal of the Virgin
The Betrothal of the Virgin is an ink print by the Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. It dates from 1504 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
About this work
Overview
The Betrothal of the Virgin is a woodcut print created by Albrecht Dürer around 1504.
Subject & Meaning
The scene depicts the marriage of Mary and Joseph, with Joseph holding a flowering staff, a symbol of his divine selection. The couple's joined hands are witnessed by a surrounding crowd.
Technique & Style
Dürer employed fine lines to convey depth, using techniques such as linear perspective, evident in the receding arches of the background, to create a sense of realism.
Artist & collection
Artist
Albrecht Dürer spent his life in Nuremberg, a busy German city where artists traded prints like currency.
![Madonna and Child [obverse], by Albrecht Dürer](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/albrecht-durer--madonna-and-child-obverse--d7b8ebf05d22ebe5-w320.webp)
![Lot and His Daughters [reverse], by Albrecht Dürer](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/albrecht-durer--lot-and-his-daughters-reverse--b4ebf9b282faa17a-w320.webp)
The Betrothal of the Virgin
Life of the Virgin: Marriage of the Virgin and St. Joseph
The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple
The Circumcision
Life of the Virgin: Adoration of the Virgin and Child by Saints and Angels
The Glorification of the Virgin
Solomon Worshipping Idols
The Archbishop Blessing the Child after the Baptism
The Visitation
The Marriage of the Virgin