Artwork
Ein frau aus Marhern ...
Ein frau aus Marhern ... 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.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1503, this woodcut on laid paper is attributed to the anonymous Master of the Miracles of Mariazell. The print measures a modest size typical of early‑sixteenth‑century devotional images and is executed in the stark, linear manner characteristic of Northern European woodcut.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a woman positioned within a stone chamber, extending her hand toward two figures standing on a balcony above. Beneath her, a kneeling man cradles an infant, while a seated woman holds another child. The accompanying German inscription alludes to a miraculous narrative, suggesting a scene of intercession or divine aid.
Technique & Style
The artist employed the woodcut process, carving fine, intersecting lines into a block of wood to produce sharp contrasts of black and white. The use of crisp, angular strokes creates a sense of depth, while the swirling cloud motifs and overlapping interior‑exterior spaces convey movement and drama within the limited tonal range of the medium.
History & Provenance
The work is known only through a handful of surviving impressions, all catalogued in collections of early German prints. Its attribution to the Master of the Miracles of Mariazell rests on stylistic parallels with other religious woodcuts produced in the Austrian region during the early 1500s.
Artist & collection
Artist
Master of the Miracles of Mariazell
Master of the Miracles of Mariazell (1500–1503) was an artist.
