The Virgin and Child seated on a Grassy Bank
The Virgin and Child seated on a Grassy Bank

Currently not on view

The Virgin and Child seated on a Grassy Bank,

1503

Albrecht Dürer, 1471–1528; born and died Nuremberg, Germany; active Venice, Italy, and Nuremburg
x1960-19
Seizing on the demand for devotional images of the Virgin and Child, Dürer engraved eighteen different versions of this popular subject. Many feature outdoor settings that reflect the artist’s extraordinary ability to render topographical details, such as tufts of grass, which he observed from nature. In these intimate compositions of 1503 and 1513, Dürer incorporates the tradition of depicting the Virgin humbly seated on the ground while nursing or cradling her infant son; a simple fence refers to an enclosed garden, which was interpreted as a symbol of the Virgin’s purity.

Although Dürer lavishes considerable attention on the Virgin’s voluminous drapery folds in both prints, there is a shift toward a more monumental conception of the human figure in the later engraving, which also expands the scene to incorporate a panoramic seascape with distant mountains.

Information

Title
The Virgin and Child seated on a Grassy Bank
Dates

1503

Maker
Albrecht Dürer
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
plate (sheet trimmed to plate): 11.6 × 7.2 cm (4 9/16 × 2 13/16 in.)
Credit Line
Bequest of Julie Parsons Redmond
Object Number
x1960-19
Place Made

Europe, Germany, Nuremburg

Inscription
Date in plate on tablet hanging from tree, upper left: 1503 Monogram in block on stone, lower center: AD
Marks/Labels/Seals
Collector Madame Henry S. Redmond's stamp, verso lower right: (Lugt 1521b) Watermark, verso lower right
Reference Numbers
Bartsch 34; Dodgson 35; Hollstein 31; Meder 31; Schoch 36
Culture
German, European
Type
prints, engravings
Materials
printing ink
Techniques
engraving (printing process)
Subject
landscapes (representations), women, Christ, Mary, figures (representations), children (people by age group), grass

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The Museum regularly researches its objects and their collecting histories, updating its records to reflect new information. We also strive to catalogue works of art using language that is consistent with how people, subjects, artists, and cultures describe themselves. As this effort is ongoing, the Museum’s records may be incomplete or contain terms that are no longer acceptable. We welcome your feedback, questions, and additional information that you feel may be useful to us. Email us at collectionsinfo@princeton.edu.

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