Cleveland Museum of Art

The Life of Christ: The Nativity

Martin Schongauer

Date

c. 1480–90

Medium

engraving

Culture

Germany

Department

Prints

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Martin Schongauer was among the first artists to work extensively in engraving to create series on the life of Christ and the saints. Here, he portrayed the Virgin, clothed in elaborate drapery, gazing upon her newborn son in a simple setting. To produce this work, Schongauer carved directly into a copper plate, creating depth and tonal variation using a system of crosshatching and parallel lines. His technical skill was admired by a young Albrecht Dürer, who later depicted the same subject.

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