Apparition of the Virgin in the Beech Tree (Faggio dell'apparizione della Vergine) [plate P]

Executed as an etching, the work relies on delicate hatching and cross‑hatching to model light and shadow across the foliage, bark, and drapery. The tonal gradations create depth, and the precise rendering of leaves and bark reflects Ligozzi’s reputation for naturalistic illustration, characteristic of late‑Renaissance and early Mannerist printmaking.

Created during Ligozzi’s mature period, the print aligns with his broader output of scientific and religious illustrations for Florentine patrons. Although specific ownership records are scarce, the plate has been catalogued among his printed works and appears in several early 17th‑century collections of devotional prints.

The early 1600s saw a transition from the balanced compositions of the High Renaissance toward the heightened emotionality of the Baroque. Ligozzi’s etching retains the compositional clarity of the former while incorporating a more dramatic use of chiaroscuro that anticipates later Baroque sensibilities.