Presentatie van Maria 1570

This print, "Presentatie van Maria" (Presentation of Mary), was made by Cornelis Cort in 1570. The work depicts the moment when the young Mary is brought to the temple to be presented to God, a pivotal event in her life and in Christian faith. Cort's engraving uses strong lines to create a dramatic scene, with figures clustered around the central column. This work, now in the Rijksmuseum, is a fine example of 16th century Northern European printmaking.