Virgin and Child, 1518–1525
Sebald Behamexpand_more
Woodcut printed from two blocks on two sheets of paperexpand_more
Gift of funds from Barbara S. Longfellowexpand_more 2016.15.1
Not on Viewexpand_more
Virgin and Child was clearly meant to be seen from a distance. The large, uncluttered composition allows the flowing lines to stand out. Its creator, Sebald Beham, meant it for public devotion of the Madonna. He used simple patterns of lines to make the cutting of the printing block quicker and cheaper, an important consideration for a work of art intended for a middle-class market. Most examples were probably affixed to walls and have long since perished from exposure to weather, insects, and vandalism. Of the hundreds printed, only about a dozen survive.
The enclosure within which Mary sits is the "hortus conclusis," the enclosed garden that separates her from the outside world, symbolizing a sort of new Eden for the pure Virgin. Common in late-medieval Marian iconography, the idea echoes the Songs of Solomon (4:12):
A garden locked is my sister, my bride,
a spring locked, a fountain sealed.
Details
- Title
- Virgin and Child
- Artist Life
- 1500–1550
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2016.15.1
- Provenance
- [C.G. Boerner, New York, 2016; sold to Mia]
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Bartsch, vol. 7, p. 178, app. no. 14 i/ii; Pauli Hollstein 886 i/ii; Dodgson, vol. 1, p. 461, no. 105; Geisberg 781 (as by Meister der Celtis Illustrationen); Geisberg/Strauss, p. 838, no. 891-3 (as by the Celtis Master); Schoch/Mende/Scherbaum A17 i/ii
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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