Madonna with the many animals (1503) by Albrecht Durer

Madonna with the many animals - Albrecht Durer - 1503

Artwork Information

TitleMadonna with the many animals
ArtistAlbrecht Durer
Date1503
Mediumpen,ink,paper
Art MovementNorthern Renaissance
Current LocationAlbertina, Vienna, Austria

About Madonna with the many animals

The artwork “Madonna with the many animals” by Albrecht Dürer, created in 1503, is a pen and ink on paper piece characteristic of the Northern Renaissance. As a religious painting, it is housed at the Albertina Museum in Vienna, Austria.

The artwork itself depicts the Virgin Mary, centrally seated, with the Christ Child on her lap. The art is named for the multitude of animals present in the scene, which include various species of birds, a cat, a rabbit, deer, and a variety of other creatures, possibly alluding to the natural world and its purity under the Virgin’s benevolent gaze. The composition also features an elaborate landscape in the background, with detailed vegetation, a distant town, and a dramatic sky suggestive of the divine. Dürer’s skill in detailed drawing is evident in the care he takes to render the textures and forms of both the figures and their surroundings. The detailed environment not only situates the holy figures within a serene natural setting but also demonstrates an appreciation for nature and God’s creations, typical of the era’s intricate explorations of both spiritual and worldly subjects.

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