Sojourn of the Holy Family in Egypt c. 1580 - 1590

Editor: So, this is Albrecht Durer’s "Sojourn of the Holy Family in Egypt," made around 1580-1590. It’s a woodcut, currently at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. I’m really struck by all the details – it's a busy scene. The everyday labor contrasts so much with the sacredness of the figures. What stands out to you about it? Curator: For me, the magic lies within the woodcut process itself. Think of the labor involved! The carving, the printing, and the dissemination. Dürer wasn’t just an artist; he was a manufacturer of images, making the divine accessible through mass production. Note how his labor relates to Joseph's. He’s depicted as a craftsman in this earthly, even gritty, setting. Does that connection between artistic creation and the common worker resonate with you? Editor: It does. It's easy to get lost in the biblical narrative but focusing on the woodcut as an object of labor really shifts the perspective. I’d previously missed seeing the parallels between their labors. Curator: Exactly. And think about the paper itself – the raw materials, the papermaking process, the supply chains that facilitated this image reaching a wide audience. How do you think this image’s materiality affected its original reception? Editor: It democratized the religious image, making it affordable, mobile, and, in that sense, truly *of* the people. That element challenges our modern concept of precious art. Curator: Precisely! It blurs the lines between art and craft, between the sacred and the profane. By foregrounding the means of production, we recognize the social context that shaped not just this image, but its accessibility, interpretation, and lasting impact. Editor: I’ll never look at a Durer print the same way again. Thanks, that gives me so much to think about! Curator: And I’ve enjoyed rethinking it through a fresh pair of eyes!