Artwork
The Birth of the Virgin
The Birth 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 Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München.
About this work
Overview
Albrecht Dürer’s woodcut entitled *The Birth of the Virgin* dates from around 1504. Executed as a print from a carved wooden block, the image presents the biblical episode of Mary’s nativity, rendered in a compact composition that balances narrative clarity with intricate detailing.
Subject & Meaning
The scene portrays the moment of the Virgin Mary’s birth, a subject drawn from apocryphal tradition that emphasizes her sanctity from infancy. By focusing on domestic elements—midwives, attendants, and household objects—the work underscores the humanity of the event while subtly affirming its theological significance.
Technique & Style
Dürer employed the woodcut medium, incising fine lines into a block of pear wood to achieve delicate textures and precise contours. The print demonstrates his mastery of line work, using cross‑hatching and varied line thickness to suggest depth, fabric folds, and the play of light across figures, hallmarks of his early Northern Renaissance style.
History & Provenance
Created in the early sixteenth century, the print was likely produced for devotional circulation among lay audiences. Surviving copies are held in several European collections, reflecting the work’s distribution through Dürer’s workshop and its inclusion in contemporary illustrated biblical series.
Artist & collection
Artist
Albrecht Dürer spent his life in Nuremberg, a busy German city where artists traded prints like currency.
Museum
Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München
Continue through works from the same source collection.
![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)
