The Holy Family 1512 - 1513

Albrecht Durer created this print, ‘The Holy Family’ using the technique of engraving. Lines are physically incised into a copper plate with a tool called a burin, and the plate is then inked and printed onto paper. The resulting image offers a sharp contrast between light and dark. Note that the figures are surrounded by closely hatched lines, conveying a sense of depth and shadow. In Durer’s time, the printmaking process allowed images to be produced and disseminated widely, transforming the way that information circulated. He was a master of the technique, and prints like this one brought his artistic vision to a broad public, a new development that expanded the audience for art beyond the wealthy elite. When we consider the conditions of its making, we can see that the print is not just a picture, but also a product of its time, shaped by social changes and the rise of a new visual culture.