Virgin and Child Under an Arch 1508 - 1531

This is Hans Burgkmair's "Virgin and Child Under an Arch," an engraving done sometime in the late 15th to early 16th century. Burgkmair was working during a time of enormous religious and social upheaval, as the Protestant Reformation began to challenge the Catholic Church's authority. Here, Mary is neither a distant queen nor a peasant, but rather a maternal figure rendered with both dignity and human emotion. Look closely at the Virgin's face. The detail is striking. Consider how the tenderness in Mary's gaze contrasts with the formal architectural elements surrounding her. Burgkmair places mother and child within a defined structure, yet they seem to exist in a world of their own. Consider how Burgkmair, as a male artist, was interpreting and shaping the image of the divine feminine. The image invites us to consider the varied and often contradictory roles ascribed to women during this period. Burgkmair skillfully navigates the traditional representations of piety, while developing a more intimate narrative of motherhood and devotion.