Madonna With The Swaddled Infant 1520

Albrecht Durer created this print, Madonna with the Swaddled Infant, in 1520 using engraving. The figures fill the pictorial space in a tightly composed scene rendered with precise lines and textures. These elements evoke a sense of intimacy. Consider the composition and how Dürer constructs meaning through form. Mary is centrally placed, her gaze lowered, directing our attention to the Christ Child. Light radiates from both figures, creating a sacred aura and a sense of divine presence. The detailed lines and textures, achieved through engraving, articulate the folds of Mary’s garments and the soft flesh of the infant. This attention to detail invites close inspection and reflects a broader artistic interest in naturalism and humanism prevalent during the Renaissance. Dürer’s work exemplifies how formal elements, like line and composition, are used to convey religious narratives. The engraving leaves the viewer to interpret the symbolic weight carried by this image.