Hemelvaart van Christus

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso linksonder, gestempeld: Lugt 240

Art Historical Context

This engraving, titled *Hemelvaart van Christus* (Ascension of Christ), was created by the anonymous Master of the Amsterdam Death the Virgin between 1430 and 1440. The artist is known today through a small group of religious prints, including a related work preserved in Amsterdam. Produced during the early decades of European printmaking, the work captures a pivotal moment in Christian iconography: Christ’s ascent to heaven following the Resurrection, witnessed by his disciples below. As one of the earliest surviving engravings on copper, this small sheet (just 129 by 101 mm) reflects the innovative spread of devotional imagery beyond illuminated manuscripts and church altarpieces. Fine linear hatching and delicate modeling allowed the print to convey both narrative drama and spiritual elevation in a portable format suited for private prayer. Its survival with a collector’s mark (Lugt 240) on the verso underscores the long-standing appreciation these early Northern European prints have held among connoisseurs.

About the Artist

Master of the Amsterdam Death of the Virgin · 1470–1570

Comment on works: religious