"The Beautiful Virgin of Regensburg" with the Child on a Throne, Surrounded by Angels with Musical Instruments c. 1519 - 1520

Editor: This small engraving, "The Beautiful Virgin of Regensburg" by Albrecht Altdorfer, presents the Madonna and Child enthroned amidst music-playing angels. It has a devotional, almost ethereal quality. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The throne here acts as more than mere furniture; it’s a symbolic architectural construction, a temple housing the divine. Note the letter "A" on its side – likely a subtle nod to the artist himself. Are these visual cues part of a wider narrative, or something more personal? Editor: I see, the "A" for Altdorfer as a personal mark makes sense. Thanks, this helped me understand the cultural context. Curator: Indeed, the fusion of the sacred with personal artistic identity offers us a lens through which to examine the cultural memory embedded in these symbols.