Maagd Maria

About this artwork

height 292 mm x width 213 mm

Art Historical Context

Created in 1832 by Irish-born engraver Erin Corr, *Maagd Maria* (“Virgin Mary”) is a steel engraving measuring 292 × 213 mm. Corr, who worked extensively in Brussels, belonged to a noted family of printmakers and specialized in translating painted compositions into finely detailed prints for wider circulation. Steel engraving had become the preferred reproductive medium by the early nineteenth century because its hard surface allowed engravers to achieve exceptionally delicate lines and withstand large print runs without losing quality. This technical advantage made devotional images such as the Virgin Mary accessible to a growing middle-class audience eager for affordable religious art. Though modest in scale, the print reflects the period’s renewed interest in Marian imagery and the expanding role of printmaking in shaping popular devotion across Europe.

About the Artist

Erin Corr · 1803–1862

Erin Corr (1803–1862) was an Irish engraver of exceptional skill and dedication, born in Brussels of Irish descent on an unknown date in 1803 and dying on August 10, 1862. His career exemplified the internationalism of 19th-century European art, as he trained in Belgium and France before establishing himself as a professor at the Antwerp Academy, where he influenced the next generation of engraver...