Ave Maria, from Allegorical Scenes on the Life of Christ, from Christian and Profane Allegories 1560 - 1617

Hendrick Goltzius’s "Ave Maria" is a masterful example of Northern Renaissance printmaking. The central image depicts the Annunciation, the moment when the Angel Gabriel informs the Virgin Mary that she will bear the Son of God. The scene is framed by a complex border filled with allegorical and biblical scenes, each with accompanying text in Latin. Goltzius's signature intricate detail and dramatic use of light and shadow are evident throughout the print, elevating it beyond a simple illustration to a powerful meditation on faith. "Ave Maria" is part of a larger series, "Christian and Profane Allegories," demonstrating Goltzius's fascination with the relationship between the spiritual and the material.