The Virgin with the Symbols of the Lauretanian Litany

Art Historical Context

Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, where you'll find *The Virgin with the Symbols of the Lauretanian Lit*, an exquisite engraving by Hieronymus Wier, a prolific Flemish artist active circa 1573–1619. Part of Antwerp's renowned Wierix family of engravers, Hieronymus specialized in intricate religious imagery during the Counter-Reformation era when Catholic devotion was vividly expressed through printmaking to reach wide audiences. This second state of two depicts the Virgin Mary surrounded by symbols from the Litany of Loreto (or Lauretanian Litany), a cherished Catholic prayer approved by Pope Sixtus V in 1587. Emblems like the mystic rose, tower of ivory, and house of gold evoke Mary's virtues and roles, fostering spiritual contemplation. Such prints were devotional tools, often used in prayer books or homes, blending piety with artistry amid religious tensions in the Spanish Netherlands. Crafted on a modest sheet (6 1/8 × 4 1/8 in.), the engraving showcases Wierix's mastery of fine lines and tonal depth, achieved by incising a copper plate for inked impressions. Acquired through The Elisha Whittelsey Collection in 1951, it exemplifies how small-scale prints democratized sacred art, inviting viewers to meditate on Mary's heavenly grace.