Artwork
Ain Man ward mit ainer Puren ...
Ain Man ward mit ainer Puren ... is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Master of the Miracles of Mariazell. It dates from 1503 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. A woodcut entitled *Ain Man ward mit ainer Puren .
About this work
Overview
A woodcut entitled *Ain Man ward mit ainer Puren ...* was produced around 1503 by the anonymous artist known as the Master of the Miracles of Mariazell. Executed on laid paper, the print presents a celestial scene in which a woman and child hover amid clouds, while two figures below occupy a terrestrial landscape.
Subject & Meaning
The upper register shows a female figure, likely the Virgin, holding an infant, both clad in flowing robes and surrounded by a sky filled with billowing clouds. Beneath them, a standing man with a long implement and a kneeling figure in tunic and cloak suggest a devotional or narrative moment, perhaps an intercessory prayer or a miracle scene.
Technique & Style
The work employs traditional woodcut methods, with the artist carving the design into a wood block and printing it onto laid paper. The incised lines create a pronounced texture that differentiates clouds, foliage, and distant terrain, giving the composition a sense of depth despite the medium’s inherent flatness.
History & Provenance
Attributed to the Master of the Miracles of Mariazell, an early 16th‑century printmaker active in the Alpine region, the piece reflects the spread of devotional imagery in the late Gothic to early Renaissance transition. Its precise ownership trail is unclear, but it remains a representative example of Central European woodcut production of the period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Master of the Miracles of Mariazell
Master of the Miracles of Mariazell (1500–1503) was an artist.
