Madonna with Child and Angels in a Landscape 1509 - 1512

This is Hans Baldung's 'Madonna with Child and Angels in a Landscape', a print created sometime around the early 16th century. The composition immediately strikes us with its intricate detail achieved solely through line and texture. Baldung's use of dense hatching and cross-hatching constructs depth and shadow, creating a rich, almost tactile surface. The figures of Mary, the Christ Child, and the surrounding angels are rendered with a remarkable attention to form. Note the lines that delineate the folds of Mary’s robe, each stroke contributing to the overall sense of volume. The landscape, populated with symbolic elements, isn't merely a backdrop, but an active participant in the narrative. It adds another layer to the complex interplay between the earthly and the divine. Baldung masterfully challenges fixed notions of space, inviting us to delve into a world where spiritual and material realms converge.