Artwork
The Holy Family with Two Music-Making Angels
The Holy Family with Two Music-Making Angels is an ink print by the Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. It dates from 1511 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
This woodcut shows Mary holding Jesus while Joseph watches. Two chubby angels play music near them. The scene glows with soft lines and deep shadows.
Dürer made this print in 1511. He used a tool to carve the wood, then pressed ink onto paper. The angels’ instruments look real, but the whole scene feels holy.
Try looking up woodcut next.
Overview
The Holy Family with Two Music-Making Angels is a woodcut print created by Albrecht Dürer in 1511.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a serene scene of the Holy Family, with Mary holding Jesus and Joseph observing, accompanied by two angels playing musical instruments, evoking a sense of reverence.
Technique & Style
Dürer employed the woodcut technique, carving a design into wood and transferring it to paper with ink, achieving a balance of soft lines and deep shadows that lends the scene a sacred atmosphere.
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)
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