The Birth of the Virgin

c. 1503/1504

Albrecht Dürer

Associated Names
Albrecht Dürer

Artist, German, 1471 - 1528

This is a drawing of an indoor scene with an angel and several figures engaged in various domestic activities. The image depicts a room bustling with activity, where multiple figures are attending to tasks around a central bed. A hovering angel figure appears amidst clouds at the upper part of the image. The architecture and furnishings, such as a staircase, fireplace, and wooden interior, add depth and context to the scene. The lower area shows figures interacting, possibly engaged in conversation and domestic work. The drawing has intricate lines and details.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    woodcut

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet (trimmed to image): 29.8 × 21.1 cm (11 3/4 × 8 5/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.3577

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Meder, no. 192

  • Series Title

    The Life of the Virgin

Artwork history & notes

Exhibition History

1968

  • Good and Bad Angels, University of Notre Dame Art Gallery, IN, 1968, no catalogue.

1971

  • Dürer in America: His Graphic Work, NGA, 1971, no. 139, repro.

1990

  • Eva/Ave: Woman in Renaissance and Baroque Prints, NGA, 1990, no. 33, repro.

2014

  • Picturing Mary: Woman, Mother, Idea, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, 2014-2015.

Bibliography

1932

  • Meder, Joseph. Dürer-Katalog; ein Handbuch über Albrecht Dürers Stiche, Radierungen, Holzschnitte, deren Zustände, Ausgaben und Wasserzeichen. Vienna: Verlag Gilhofer und Ranschburg, 1932. Reprint. New York: Da Capo Press, 1971.

1990

  • Russell 1990, cat.no.33.

2001

  • Schoch, Rainer, Mattihas Mende, and Anna Scherbaum. Albrecht Dürer: Das druckgraphische Werk. Munich, 2001: vol. 2: no. 170.

Wikidata ID

Q18338563

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