Music-Making Angels
1521
Medium
Pen and brown ink
Dimensions
6 5/8 x 8 3/4 in. (16.9 x 22.3 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. William H. Osborn, 1961
Accession Number
61.257
Tags
Art Historical Context
Created in 1521 during the height of the Northern Renaissance, *Music-Making Angels* showcases Albrecht Dürer’s masterful command of pen and brown ink. At just 6 5/8 by 8 3/4 inches, this intimate drawing captures a celestial ensemble of angels playing lutes, their delicate wings and flowing garments rendered with the precise, expressive line work for which Dürer is celebrated. As a leading German artist of his era, Dürer often explored religious and musical themes, blending meticulous observation with spiritual symbolism. The medium of pen and ink was ideal for Dürer’s practice, allowing rap...
About the Artist
Albrecht Dürer · 1471–1528
Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528) stands as the preeminent figure of the Northern Renaissance and arguably the most influential artist in the history of printmaking. Born in Nuremberg on May 21, 1471, and dying in the same city on April 6, 1528, Dürer revolutionized the status of the artist in Northern Europe, transforming printmaking from a commercial craft into an independent fine art and establishing ...