Madonna and Child with bagpipers 1512

Durer made this pen and ink drawing titled Madonna and Child with bagpipers around 1512. The drawing is made with simple materials, and the process allows for spontaneity and improvisation. The stark black lines on the white ground create a high contrast image. The varying thickness of the lines, achieved by applying different amounts of pressure with the pen, add depth and definition to the figures. The figures are composed of multiple light and dark lines giving a sense of constant movement. It is particularly interesting that Durer has chosen to include a bagpiper, a common folk instrument, in a traditional religious scene. The bagpiper is drawn in a similar style to the Madonna and Child, but his inclusion adds an element of everyday life to the scene. Considering the context and process of this drawing helps us see how Durer sought to integrate the high and low in his work.