The Holy Trinity, from Via Felicitatis

Art Historical Context

In the early 16th century, artist Hans Schäufelein a follower of Albrecht Dürer, created *The Holy Trinity* as part of his *Via Felicitatis*—a devotional pathway to spiritual bliss printed around 1513. Collaborating with printer Johann Miller,ufelein produced this intricate woodcut, measuring just 3 3/4 × 2 1/2 inches, ideal for personal prayer books or altarpieces during the Northern Renaissance. The image centers on the Christian doctrine of the Trinity: God the Father, Christ on the Cross, and the Holy Spirit as a dove, surrounded by male figures in a compact, symbolic composition. Woodcuts like this were revolutionary for their affordability, allowing widespread dissemination of religious imagery amid growing literacy and pre-Reformation fervor in Europe. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Bequest of Harry G. Friedman, 1965), this tiny print exemplifies Schäufele'sin's mastery of line and detail, blending Gothic piety with emerging Renaissance humanism to inspire contemplation in everyday devotees.

About the Artist

Hans Schäufelein|Johann Miller · 1480–1540

Hans Schäufelein (c. 1480–c. 1540) was a German painter and graphic artist of the Northern Renaissance whose career placed him at the heart of one of the most dynamic artistic environments in European history. As a young man, he entered the workshop of Albrecht Dürer in Nuremberg, an experience that proved decisive: Dürer's meticulous approach to draughtsmanship, his mastery of printmaking, and hi...