Heilige familie met Anna c. 1506 - 1538

Albrecht Altdorfer made this engraving of the Holy Family in the early sixteenth century, at a time of great religious and social upheaval in Europe. In it, we see the infant Christ held by Saint Anne. Joseph looks on, the setting is a Renaissance courtyard filled with cherubs. The architecture is classical, but beyond it, we see a craggy, mountainous landscape that reflects the geography of Altdorfer’s native Bavaria. This combination of Italian and German elements reflects the transitional nature of the time, as artists and intellectuals grappled with new ideas coming from the South while also maintaining their local traditions. As a maker of prints, Altdorfer’s work was more democratic than painting, available to a wider audience. As the Reformation spread, images like this became tools in the religious and political battles of the era. To fully understand this artwork, we have to consider the religious, economic, and political contexts. Only then can we appreciate its full meaning.