The Circumcision

c. 1504/1505

Albrecht Dürer

Associated Names
Albrecht Dürer

Artist, German, 1471 - 1528

The image is a drawing of a group of figures gathered in an ornate architectural setting. The scene features intricate details, capturing figures in various garments, some holding other figures or objects. The architecture includes gothic elements, such as a large circular window, intricate stonework, and a vaulted ceiling. The figures are positioned in a crowded formation, with some in cloaks and hoods. The line work is precise, giving the scene a dynamic feel. The use of hatching and cross-hatching enhances texture and shading, providing dimensionality and focus.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    woodcut on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet (trimmed to block): 29.5 × 21.1 cm (11 5/8 × 8 5/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.3584

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Meder, no. 198

  • Series Title

    The Life of the Virgin

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

purchased by Lessing J. Rosenwald [1891-1979], Jenkintown, PA (Lugt 1760b and Lugt 1932d); gift to NGA, 1943.

Associated Names

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.

2001

  • Schoch, Rainer, Mattihas Mende, and Anna Scherbaum. Albrecht Dürer: Das druckgraphische Werk. Munich, 2001: vol. 2: no. 176.

Watermarks

high crown (Meder 20)

Wikidata ID

Q18338568

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