Who painted The Pilgrims?

The Pilgrims was painted by Lucas van Leyden in 1508.

Where can I see The Pilgrims?

The Pilgrims is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Pilgrims?

The Pilgrims is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

The Pilgrims

Lucas van Leyden , 1508

The Pilgrims is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Lucas van Leyden. It dates from 1508 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1508, *The Pilgrims* is an engraving by the Dutch artist Lucas van Leyden. Executed in black‑line print, the work presents a small group of travelers within a wooded landscape, illustrating the artist’s early interest in depicting ordinary human activity.

Subject & Meaning

The scene shows two figures positioned in the foreground: one kneels, wearing a hat and holding a staff, while the other sits on a rock, capped by a fur‑trimmed hat and clutching a knife. A third figure recedes into the distance, walking away, suggesting a moment of pause within a journey.

Technique & Style

Van Leyden employs fine cross‑hatching to model the foliage, rocks and distant hill, achieving a nuanced sense of texture and spatial depth. The engraving’s linear precision reflects the artist’s mastery of the medium and his attention to detail in rendering natural settings.

History & Provenance

As one of the early Dutch prints to focus on everyday scenes, *The Pilgrims* marks Lucas van Leyden’s contribution to the development of genre imagery in the early sixteenth century. The work remains documented in collections of Northern Renaissance prints.

Artist & collection

Artist

Lucas van Leyden

Lucas van Leyden (1494 – 8 August 1533), was a Dutch painter and printmaker in engraving and woodcut. Lucas van Leyden was among the first Dutch exponents of genre painting and was a very accomplished engraver.