The Virgin and the Child 1485 - 1528

This tiny woodcut, 'The Virgin and the Child' was made by Albrecht Dürer. Woodcut is a relief printing process, where the artist carves an image into a block of wood, leaving raised areas that will hold the ink. The block is then inked and pressed onto paper, transferring the image. Here, Dürer’s marks describe the scene with impressive clarity, despite the print’s diminutive size. Look closely, and you can see the way he used different types of hatching to describe the forms. This was a laborious, skillful process. Dürer was one of the first artists to grasp the commercial possibilities of printmaking. Woodcuts like this weren’t just devotional images; they were also commodities, circulated widely and relatively cheaply. So, when you look at this print, think about the labor and skill involved in its creation, but also its place in the emerging world of mass media. It’s a reminder that even seemingly humble objects can be powerful agents of cultural change, bridging the gap between art, craft, and commerce.