The Madonna Enthroned with Eighteen Holy Women

Executed as a metalcut, the image was incised into a metal plate, producing bold, black outlines that define the figures. After printing on laid paper, the work was hand‑colored with bright pigments, a practice that heightened visual impact. The stiff, formal poses and the use of gold ornamental borders are characteristic of late‑medieval devotional prints.

Attributed to the anonymous artist known as Master with the Mountain‑Like Clouds, the print originates from the late 15th‑century Northern European workshop tradition. Its survival in hand‑colored condition suggests it was intended for private devotion rather than public liturgical use.

The work belongs to the broader Renaissance period, when printmaking began to disseminate religious imagery beyond manuscript illumination. Its vivid palette and accessible format reflect the era’s shift toward more personal, portable devotional objects.