Dürer's Virgin and Child

Mary sits with the infant Christ reaching toward a small goldfinch, while a chained monkey watches from the reeds at her feet. The bird foretells the Passion; the monkey holds earthly impulse in check below the sacred scene. Albrecht Dürer engraved this composition around 1498, and the original belongs to the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Here it is reinterpreted as a single continuous piece of laser-cut steel.

Dürer made this engraving in his most productive Nuremberg years, fusing Italian compositional balance with Northern descriptive precision. The half-timbered house, the river lined with reeds, the cloudy sky over distant hills — each element carries the observational density that defined his graphic work. The fine crosshatching that modeled Mary's robes and the landscape was so controlled it set the standard for European printmaking and circulated widely within his lifetime.

Cut from a single sheet of 2mm low-carbon steel, every detail stays structurally connected — from the folds of Mary's robe to the posts of the wooden enclosure and the slender reeds along the water. No welding, no assembly, no separate pieces joined afterward. The panel is powder-coated for lasting protection: matte black for dramatic contrast on light walls, matte white for a softer presence in bright rooms, or raw steel with a clear coat that preserves the natural grain. The corten rust finish develops a warm ochre patina over weeks and months.

Mounted with standoff spacers, the panel floats 15mm from the wall. Ambient light casts a layered shadow behind the steel — Dürer's linework rendered twice, once in metal and once in light. As the sun moves through the room, the shadow shifts and the composition changes character: sharper in direct light, softer and deeper toward evening.

Available in five sizes from S (45 cm) to XXL (130 cm) on the longer side, each scaled to preserve the engraving's tall proportions. Weight ranges from approximately 1.5 kg (S) to 8 kg (XXL). All finishes and sizing details are covered in the craft and delivery guide.

Part of the religious collection. See also Praying Virgin Mary and Praying Jesus, or explore the full Christian art selection.