The Death of the Virgin

c. 1513

Albrecht Altdorfer

Associated Names
Albrecht Altdorfer

Artist, German, 1480 or before - 1538

This is a drawing of a group gathered in a vaulted space. The composition features numerous figures closely huddled together, surrounded by an arched ceiling. The depiction is rich in intricate line work. The figures appear to be engrossed in an activity centered in the middle of the group, displaying a variety of robes and hair styles. The use of light and shadow is skillfully managed to guide the viewer's eye towards the central action. The architectural elements, such as the arches, contribute to the solemn atmosphere of the piece.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    woodcut on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Gift of W.G. Russell Allen

  • Dimensions

    block: 7.2 × 4.8 cm (2 13/16 × 1 7/8 in.)
    sheet: 7.9 × 5.6 cm (3 1/8 × 2 3/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1941.1.146

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    New Hollstein, no. w. 38

  • Series Title

    The Fall and Redemption of Man

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Albertina, Vienna (duplicate, Lugt 5g). W.G. Russell Allen [1882-1955], Boston; gift to the NGA, 1941.

Associated Names

Bibliography

1963

  • Winzinger, Franz. Albrecht Altdorfer, Graphik: Holzschnitte, Kupferstiche, Radierungen. Munich: R.Piper and Co., 1963, no. 63.

1996

  • The New Hollstein German Engravings, Etchings and Woodcuts, 1400-1700. (Albrecht Aldorfer, Ursula Mielke, author). Rotterdam: Sound & Vision Interactive, 1996-, no. w. 38.

Wikidata ID

Q64952450

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