Tag: Visitation

Albrecht Dürer: Bestseller and Piracy

Albrecht Dürer: Bestseller and Piracy

16th century copyright protection

Last October I was in Nuremberg, Germany, the city where Albrecht Dürer (1471 – 1528) was born and lived. One can visit the Dürerhaus, where he worked and resided from 1509 until his death. This visit inspired me to look more closely at Dürer’s life and work, especially his woodcut series. Among these, Life of the Virgin stands out as an excellent example: a cycle of twenty prints, sold both individually and published as a book with corresponding Latin verses. It became a bestseller already during Dürer’s lifetime, not only in Germany, but across Europe. And, inevitably, it was also widely copied, often without Dürer’s permission.

Self-portrait (1498), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), 52x41cm, Prado, Madrid.

We will look more closely at the Life of the Virgin series and explore how Dürer tried to protect his artistic rights and defend his name against the flood of “fake Dürers” that appeared in its wake. We will then follow the complete series itself, which unfolds like a comic-book narrative about the Virgin Mary, her parents Anna and Joachim, and, of course, her son Jesus Christ.

Let’s explore as follows:

Dürer: artist and business man

Albrecht Dürer was not only a master artist but also a businessman. His prints reached buyers all over Europe through a clever distribution system, with his wife even selling them at trade fairs such as Frankfurt. Prints were a steady source of income, and Dürer offered works in a wide range of styles and price points.

Among the most ambitious of these projects was Life of the Virgin, a cycle of twenty woodcuts first published individually and later as a book in Nuremberg in 1511. Each image was paired with Latin verses by Benedictus Chelidonius, a learned Benedictine monk, also from Nuremberg. The combination of Dürer’s monumental images with humanist poetry gave the series the dignity of a richly illustrated devotional book.

Fake prints

But his success also came with frustrations: new works were copied almost immediately, sometimes crudely, but often in high-quality versions that were difficult to distinguish from the originals. Some even bore his famous AD monogram, used as both trademark and signature, to pass as genuine Dürers.

Dürer’s AD monogram, detail from the Meeting of Joachim and Anna at the Golden Gate (1504), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Look at the two following prints: the original woodcut by Dürer and the exact copy made by Marcantonio Raimondi as an engraving, even including Dürer’s AD monogram. Raimondi produced his copy three years after Dürer published the original.

Left: Dürer’s original c.1503. Annunciation to the Virgin from “The Life of the Virgin”, Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest.
Right: Raimondi’s copy c.1506 including the “AD” trademark. Annunciation to the Virgin from “The Life of the Virgin”, Engraving by Marcantonio Raimondi (Italian, c.1470 – c.1527), after a woodblock print by Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), 29x21cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest.

Copies flourished north and south of the Alps. Some bore fake monograms, others carefully erased Dürer’s signature, or replaced it with a crude imitation. Ironically, this wave of imitation only spread his fame further. In this sense, Dürer’s imagery became part of a wider visual language of the time, endlessly adapted and reinterpreted. Yet Dürer’s efforts to protect his work mark him out as one of the first artists to confront what we now call copyright. Dürer was keenly aware that his art was not only spiritual and aesthetic, but also a commercial product in the bustling market of Renaissance Europe.

The Life of the Virgin cycle’s popularity made it a prime target for counterfeiters. The renaissance art-writer Giorgio Vasari (Italian, 1511 – 1574) later recounted how the Italian engraver Marcantonio Raimondi (c.1470 – c.1527) copied the entire Life of the Virgin in engraving, even adding Dürer’s monogram. According to Vasari, Dürer pursued the matter in Venice and won a ruling forbidding Raimondi to use his mark. Whether or not Vasari embroidered the story, it reflects a real concern: Dürer’s name and monogram were being exploited, and he took active steps to defend them. His colophon to the 1511 edition of Life of the Virgin is a warning against pirated copies, and shows a remarkably modern awareness of intellectual property and artistic rights.

Anti-piracy colophon in Latin (1511) on the print nr. 20: Glorification of the Virgin from “Life of the Virgin”, Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, sheet 44x31cm, block 30x21cm, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Dürer’s anti-piracy colophon is phrased as a severe warning to anyone who dared to copy his prints. Translated from Latin, it reads like a threat, and is strikingly laid out in a triangular form on the final sheet of the Life of the Virgin series. Here it is, and shiver while reading the last paragraph!

Printed in Nuremberg by the painter Albrecht Dürer, in the year of Christ 1511.

Woe to you, thief of another’s labor and skill! Do not dare to lay your reckless hands upon these works. Know that the most glorious Roman Emperor Maximilian has granted us the right that no one may presume to print these images from false blocks, or to sell them throughout the bounds of the Empire.
If, driven by arrogance or by greed, you do so, then be certain of this: after the confiscation of your goods, you will have to face the gravest peril without escape.

Dürer’s trip to Venice seems to have had some effect, especially when combined with the anti-piracy colophon he added to the final page of the Life of the Virgin series. Marcantonio Raimondi, who had previously copied these entire series and even reproduced Dürer’s “AD” monogram, now approached Dürer’s work more cautiously. When he later engraved another series after Dürer (the Small Passion series), Marcantonio copied every detail with his usual precision, except the monogram. In these later prints the space where Dürer placed his “AD” trademark is left conspicuously blank. Compare these two images from the Small Passion series: Dürer’s original, proudly bearing his monogram, and Raimondi’s meticulous copy, identical in all respects but stripped of Dürer’s AD monogram.

Left: Dürer’s original with the “AD” trademark. Christ standing before Herod, from “The Small Passion” (1509), Woodblock print by Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), 13x10cm, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Right: Raimondi’s copy without the “AD” trademark. Christ standing before Herod, from “The Small Passion” (c.1511), Engraving by Marcantonio Raimondi (Italian, c.1470 – c.1527), after a woodblock print by Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), 13x10cm, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Life of the Virgin

Having spoken about Dürer’s efforts to protect his copyright, let’s now look at the Life of the Virgin series itself. Conceived as a cycle of twenty woodcuts — nineteen narrative scenes plus a frontispiece — it traces the Virgin Mary’s story from the rejection of her father Joachim’s offering in the Temple to her Assumption and Glorification in heaven. Dürer began the series around 1501 and published it a decade later, in 1511, as a complete book. Each image was paired with Latin verses written by Benedictus Chelidonius, a Benedictine monk and humanist poet from Dürer’s own city. Together, image and text created a carefully balanced combination of visual devotion and humanist learning, intended for a cultivated audience of merchants, clerics, and scholars.

Image and Text; Dürer and Chelidonius

Benedictus Chelidonius (c. 1460–1521), a humanist scholar and Benedictine monk from the monastery of St. Egidius in Nuremberg provided the Latin verses that accompany the Life of the Virgin series. Chelidonius belonged to the circle of learned churchmen who sought to merge humanist literary style with devotional themes, while remaining firmly rooted in the Catholic tradition. This was no small matter: by 1511 Luther’s Reformation was already knocking loudly at Nuremberg’s doors. In my view, Dürer’s imagery for Life of the Virgin adheres closely to Catholic tradition, not so much as a protest against the Reformation, but out of pragmatic awareness. As a skilled tradesman, he understood that more traditional devotional images would continue to sell well in regions less touched by reformist ideas, especially in Catholic countries such as Italy.

Life of the Virgin as published in 1511, prints by Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528) and text verses by Benedictus Chelidonius (German, c.1460 – 1521), Kunstsammlungen der Stadt Nürnberg, Germany. This is the page with the Flight into Egypt.

Chelidonius’ poems retell the Virgin’s life with a mixture of biblical narrative and rhetorical flourish. Dürer sought to dignify his art with humanist eloquence and the authority of the written word, and Chelidonius’ text dramatized and deepened the episodes shown in the prints.

An example of text and image; Joachim’s offer rejected in the Temple.

2. Joachim’s offering in the Temple is rejected (c.1504), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

In Dürer’s print, the old priest thrusts Joachim’s sacrifice away with an unmistakable gesture of condemnation. Chelidonius heightens this visual drama with a scathing Latin rebuke, placing words in the mouth of the High Priest that leave no doubt about the seriousness of Joachim’s “crime”: childlessness. The verse does not merely explain the scene, it intensifies its emotional and moral charge.

Text verse by Benedictus Chelidonius (c. 1460–1521), published in 1511, opposite the page with Durer’s woodblock print Joachim’s offering in the Temple is rejected (c.1504), Albertina, Vienna.

Here is line 17-21, in Latin and the translation; pretty harsh!

Infecunde senex, audes qua fronte feraces
inter conventus ire sub ora Dei?
I, sterili te condere domo, vir inutilis! Odit
coniugium frigens et sine fruge polus.
“Barren old man, with what face do you dare
to stand among the fruitful in the sight of God?
Go, hide yourself in your sterile house, useless husband!
Heaven itself despises a cold and fruitless marriage.”

These four lines condense the theological, moral, and human dimensions of the scene. They make clear that Chelidonius was not content simply to accompany Dürer’s images with decorative poetry. Rather, his verses work as a deliberate dramatic counterpoint, drawing the reader deeper into the emotional world of the Life of the Virgin series. In this way, Chelidonius and Dürer together transform Joachim’s humiliation into a vivid meditation on faith, obedience, and divine purpose.

Life of the Virgin; the 20 woodcuts

The 1511 edition was remarkable not only for its art but also for its modern design. It reflects Dürer’s awareness of both aesthetics and marketing. His aim was to elevate the woodcut from a humble popular medium to the level of fine art. At the same time, the book’s devotional subject and refined presentation ensured wide appeal, making it one of the most sought-after print series of the early sixteenth century.

Frontispiece: The Virgin on a Crescent Moon

1. Frontispiece, the Virgin on a Crescent Moon (c.1510), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 34x22cm, Albertina, Vienna.

The series opens with a radiant image of Mary sitting on a crescent moon, a symbol of her Immaculate Conception, pure and untouched by sin from her birth. Dürer blends several motifs here: the Virgin’s regal dignity with a crown of stars, and her gentle motherly presence by nursing her baby Jesus. The composition sets the tone for the entire cycle, presenting Mary as both approachable and exalted.

The Rejection of Joachim’s Offering in the Temple

2. Joachim’s offering in the Temple is rejected (c.1504), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

The story begins harshly. The aged Joachim, husband of Anna and father-to-be of Mary, presents his offering at the Temple, a lamb and a small cage of birds, but the High Priest turns him away, rejecting his devotion due to Joachim’s childlessness. They judge him unworthy in the eyes of God, because he and Anna have no children. Dürer shows the moment of humiliation vividly, the priest pushes back the old man’s gift, while bystanders whisper. Hurt and ashamed, Joachim leaves Jerusalem and heads into the wilderness, convinced he has failed his family and his faith.

The Angel Appears and Annunciation to Joachim 

3. The angel appears and Annunciation to Joachim (c.1504), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Joachim, dejected and wandering in the wilderness, is visited by an angel who brings a divine promise. The angel tells him his wife Anna will conceive a child through divine grace. Dürer fills the landscape with a sense of sudden tenderness: the old man kneels, overwhelmed, as the heavenly visitor leans toward him with reassurance. The encounter transforms despair into hope.

The Meeting of Joachim and Anna at the Golden Gate

4. Meeting of Joachim and Anna at the Golden Gate (1504), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Meanwhile, Anna receives the same message from another angel, and she hurries toward Jerusalem’s Golden Gate. Joachim, rushing from the desert, meets her there. The couple embrace, their joy erupting in the middle of the busy gate. Dürer makes this reunion radiant and human, two elderly people clinging to each other with relief, gratitude, and renewed hope.

The Birth of the Virgin

5. Birth of the Virgin (c.1503), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Inside a lively household, the Virgin Mary is born. Women bustle about as midwives tend to Anna, resting in her bed after the long-awaited delivery. Others bathe the newborn child in a small wooden tub. Dürer turns this sacred moment into an intimate domestic scene, full of details: textiles, furniture, and the calm relief of a long-desiring mother.

The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple

6. Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple (c.1503), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

As a small child, Mary is brought by her parents to the Temple, dedicated to God’s service. Dürer shows her climbing the steep steps alone, a tiny figure ascending toward the high priest who awaits her. Joachim and Anna look on, both proud and moved, as if understanding that their daughter’s life will be extraordinary. Anna points at the offering lambs, as if she tells Joachim “do you still remember when your offer was rejected?”. Dürer connects the early “Joachim’s Rejection” print with Mary’s triumphal entry into the temple.

The Marriage of the Virgin

7. Marriage of the Virgin (c.1504), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Mary is joined in marriage to an older widowed man named Joseph before a small assembly of witnesses. Dürer captures both the ceremony’s ritual precision and the human warmth of the participants. Joseph and Mary convey mutual respect and spiritual purpose, while the architectural setting frames the sacred promise binding them together.

The Annunciation

8. Annunciation to the Virgin (c.1503), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

In a quiet, sunlit interior, Mary reads when the angel Gabriel appears before her. His message is astonishing: she will conceive a child through the Holy Spirit. Mary reacts with humility, and acceptance; a moment of divine communication.

The Visitation, Mary meets Elisabeth

9. Visitation, the Virgin meets Elisabeth (c.1503), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Mary travels to visit her older cousin Elizabeth, who is miraculously pregnant with John the Baptist. The two women meet outdoors in an affectionate embrace, recognizing the divine mystery present in both of them. Both women are pregnant with children who will play central roles in salvation history. Their embrace conveys joy, mutual recognition, and shared purpose.

The Nativity; Adoration of the Shepherds

10. Nativity; Adoration of the Shepherds (c.1502), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Albertina, Vienna.

Christ is born in a ruined stable. Mary kneels in worship, gazing at the child. Joseph stands nearby. Angels crowd above. Shepherds arrive to offer humble reverence. Dürer’s composition guides the viewer’s eye toward Christ, while the rustic setting reminds us of the humility of his entrance into the world.

The Circumcision of Christ

11. Circumcision of Christ (c.1504), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

On the eighth day after his birth, the infant Jesus is brought to the Temple for his circumcision, the ritual that marks him formally as a son of Israel. Dürer sets the scene inside a vaulted sacred space, where priests prepare the ceremony, while Mary stands close, watching anxiously yet faithfully as her child undergoes the ancient rite. It’s a composition that balances human vulnerability with religious duty.

The Adoration of the Magi

12. Adoration of the Magi (c.1503), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Three kings arrive from distant lands, bringing gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They kneel before the infant with reverence, their faces full of age, wisdom, and wonder. Dürer sets the scene within a magnificent architectural ruin, as if he conveys both the worldly grandeur of the Magi and the serene divinity of the holy family.

Presentation in the Temple

13. Presentation in the Temple (c.1505), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Mary kneels, offering a small cage of doves as the modest sacrifice prescribed for the poor, while Joseph stands behind her, attentive. Simeon, the aged priest, lifts the infant Christ with reverent care, fulfilling prophecy. A few bystanders watch quietly, and the vast temple interior frames the sacred act. Dürer emphasizes the gravity of the ritual and the fulfillment of God’s promise, balancing intimacy with monumental architecture.

The Flight into Egypt

14. Flight into Egypt (c.1504), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Warned in a dream that King Herod seeks the child’s life, Mary and Joseph flee south into Egypt. Mary rides a donkey, cradling her baby, while Joseph leads them along a rugged path. Dürer enriches the landscape with a palm tree and exotic vegetation, the Middle Eastern landscape through which the Holy Family must quietly pass.

The Rest on the Flight into Egypt

15. Rest on the Flight into Egypt (c.1502), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Now settled in Egypt, the Holy Family engages in daily life. Joseph works at his carpenter’s bench, and Mary spins wool nearby; it’s a small industrious household. The infant Christ is tended by angels and we see putti, while God the Father blesses the scene, the Holy Spirit descending as a dove.

The 12-Year-Old Christ Among the Doctors

16. The 12-year old Christ among the Doctors (c.1503), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Back in Jerusalem, after days of searching, Mary and Joseph find twelve-year-old Jesus in the Temple, debating from a lectern with learned scholars. Dürer fills the hall with the old learned men, pointing, arguing, leaning in, and surprised by the boy’s insight, already showing the authority that will define his later ministry.

Christ Taking Leave of His Mother

17. Christ saying farewell to His Mother (c.1504), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Before his Passion, Christ comes once more to say goodbye to Mary. The moment is private and emotional. They stand near the simple entrance of her home, both aware of what lies ahead. Dürer captures a moment familiar to all parents: the pain of letting go, knowing a child must follow his calling.

The Death of the Virgin

18. Death of the Virgin (1510), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Surrounded by the apostles, Mary’s final moments unfold in a room lit by candles. The apostles lean in, praying softly; reading from a book or holding candles. Mary lies peaceful. Dürer balances human grief with sacred serenity.

The Assumption into Heaven and The Coronation of the Virgin

19. The Assumption into Heaven and Coronation of the Virgin (1510), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 29x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Angels lift Mary from her tomb, carrying her upward into a swirl of clouds. Her body rises not through effort but through grace. Below, the apostles look up in awe, their expressions mixing disbelief and wonder. The scene bridges earth and heaven in one sweeping vertical movement. The cycle ends triumphantly. In heaven, both her Son Christ and God the Father crown Mary as Queen of Heaven.

Glorification of the Virgin, surrounded by saints

20. Glorification of the Virgin (surrounded by saints) (c.1502), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471 – 1528), Woodcut, 30x21cm, Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany.

Dürer concludes the series with a majestic vision of Mary exalted in heaven, surrounded by a host of saints and angels. She sits at the center, serene and radiant, while figures of holy men and women gather around her. Angels float gracefully, carrying musical instruments and banners. The composition conveys both joy and solemnity: the trials, sorrows, and faithful endurance of Mary’s life are now transfigured into eternal glory.

Closing Notes

When we look at Life of the Virgin by Albrecht Dürer, as a series published in 1511 and with most of the prints issued individually around 1505, we must try to see it not only with our nowadays eyes, accustomed to endless images, but with the eyes of Dürer’s contemporaries. How did people in the early sixteenth century experience a series like this? They lived in a world without photographs, without film, without magazines, without the internet, without TikTok or Instagram, a world where most people encountered images only in a church altarpiece or the occasional fresco. It was, visually speaking, a world of darkness punctuated by a few precious points of light.

Into that world, Dürer released this series. And it reads almost like a comic book or a biopic: one scene leading seamlessly into the next, each print a little narrative cliffhanger inviting the viewer to turn the page. Published with accompanying text, the series functioned almost like a script for a film long before cinema existed.

Dürer’s imagery was fresh, inventive, and instantly recognizable. In an age without photocopiers or digital reproduction, the only way to “go viral” was through reprinting, and Dürer was one of the first artists whose visual inventions were copied, repeated, and adapted across Europe. It is no wonder that his compositions reappear again and again throughout the sixteenth century and beyond. Success brought imitation, but Dürer was acutely aware of his intellectual property: he did everything he could to protect his “AD” monogram, his early version of a brand logo.

If we translate Dürer’s achievement into modern terms, he was an influencer, a trendsetter, even a blockbuster director whose imagery shaped European art. “Life of the Virgin” can be read as a Renaissance biopic, a storyboard for a film about Mary’s life, “There’s Something About Mary” created, directed and produced by Albrecht Dürer. In 1511.

Villa Medicea di Poggio a Caiano (c.1500) and the Visitation by Pontormo (c.1528), Tuscany.

Villa Medicea di Poggio a Caiano (c.1500) and the Visitation by Pontormo (c.1528), Tuscany.

Pontormo (1494 – 1557)

Poggio a Caiano, Tuscany.

The Villa Medicea di Poggio a Caiano is located between Florence and Prato in Tuscany. It was commissioned by Lorenzo de’ Medici around 1485 and designed by Giuliano da Sangallo. The building is considered an early example of Renaissance villa architecture, with classical elements such as a symmetrical layout, a central loggia, and a raised platform. Its elevated platform, symmetrical structure, and central loggia reflect the ideals of Vitruvian proportion and balance, making it a model for later villas across Europe.

Villa Medicea di Poggio a Caiano, seen from the entrance and reception area.

The villa was used as a country residence by the Medici family. Pope Leo X (born Giovanni de’ Medici, Lorenzo de’ Medici’s son and the first Medici pope), stayed there regularly. In the 16th century, major decorative works were added, including frescoes in the main hall by Andrea del Sarto and Pontormo (a depiction of Vertumnus and Pomona), a.o. These works reflect Medici political ambitions and classical themes. The main hall and ceiling decoration is dedicated to Pope Leo X.

Villa Medicea di Poggio a Caiano, main hall ceiling, Pope Leo X coat of arms, a combination of the Papal and Medici symbols.

Later, the villa was used by the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty and by the House of Savoy. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, it served as a royal residence. Today, it is a Unesco World Heritage Site and is open to the public.

The villa currently houses The Visitation by Pontormo, on temporary display while its original location – the church of Santi Michele e Francesco in Carmignano – is undergoing restoration. The painting, a key example of early Mannerism, remains accessible to the public during this period.

Visitation (c.1528), Pontormo (1494 - 1557), Oil on board, 202x156cm, San Michele e San Francesco, Carmignano, now on view in the Medici Villa of Poggio a Caiano, Italy.
Visitation (c.1528), Pontormo (1494 – 1557), Oil on board, 202x156cm, San Michele e San Francesco, Carmignano, now on view in the Medici Villa of Poggio a Caiano, Italy.

The villa also houses the Museo della Natura Morta, a museum dedicated to still-life painting, with works from the 17th to 18th centuries. The villa is surrounded by a historic park and gardens, with beautiful citrus trees and a Limonaia (Orangery).

  • The Villa Medicea di Poggio a Caiano is off the beaten track, outside Florence and absolutely worth a visit. Reservations are needed, for English or Italian tours. The villa can be visited free of charge from Tuesday to Sunday. Guided tours lasting about an hour with admission every hour from 8.30 to 15.30. No visit at 13.30. Reservations required on +39 055 877012 (just call them, they speak English and it’s very easy to book a slot).
  • For directions, click here. Bus 210 connect the station of Signa with the Villa, the stop is right in front of the Villa. For bus 210, just tap in and out with your bankcard.
The Visitation: Mary meets Elizabeth

The Visitation: Mary meets Elizabeth

“Baby Shower for two”

As we near December and Christmas, all our attention turns to the story of the birth of Jesus. But how about his mother Mary? How about Mary’s pregnancy, and what did she do in those nine months before giving birth to Jesus? Around May that year, when Mary was 2 months pregnant with Jesus, she travelled some 150km from her home in Nazareth to a small town in Judea, to visit her relative Elizabeth who was 8 months pregnant of John the Baptists. This visit of Mary to Elizabeth is called the “Visitation” and is told in the Bible in the chapter that’s the Gospel of Luke (1:39-56). The Visitation took place on May 31st and Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months, during which Elizabeth gave birth to John the Baptist, on June 24th.

Rogier van der Weyden (c.1400 – 1464), “Visitation” (c.1437), 58x36cm, Museum der Bildenden Künste, Leipzig.
Mary meets Elizabeth, both pregnant, in front of Elizabeth and Zacharias’ house. Although the story is set in Judea, Rogier van der Weyden choose a Flemish setting, which will have appealed to the contemporary viewers.

Elizabeth and her husband Zacharias were both very old and without children. Miraculously Elizabeth suddenly got pregnant, which was predicted to Zacharias by the angel Gabriel. Zacharias could hardly believe this, as his wife was too old to get a baby. Here is a similarity with the message Maria got from the same angel Gabriel: “Ave Maria, you will be pregnant and give birth to Jesus!” When Mary got pregnant, her fiancé Joseph could also hardly believe what had happened.

Albrecht Dürer (1471 – 1528), “Visitation”, from The Life of the Virgin series (1503), Woodcut, 30x21cm, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
The Life of The Virgin is a series of 20 woodcuts, published as a book with the prints facing a page with Latin verses. These series focus on Mary as a human and even a mother, opposed the the suffering as in many other series of the life of Mary and Christ. Also, Dürer is using a very contemporary approach, look at the clothes of Mary and Elizabeth and Zacharias standing in the door of their house. This depicting of a “bourgeois” Mary will immediately have been familiar and attractive to Dürer’s clientele. From the moment of publishing, the woodcuts were copied and sold illegally, Dürer started many legal cases to protect his copyright.

Mary knew well that her cousin Elizabeth had grieved for so many years on account of being childless. Mary travelled all the way to share Elizabeth’s joy and of course to help her in her household affairs and be with her during birth and in the months after the birth of the little John. It was a mission of charity.

Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn, (1606 – 1669), “Visitation” (1640), 57×48cm, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, MI.
On the left the elderly Zacharias, husband of Elizabeth, easing himself down the stairs with the help of a young boy; on the right Joseph, Mary’s fiancé, climbing up the hill leading his donkey. Considering tradition and the need for security, Joseph probably accompanied Mary to Judea and then returned to Nazareth, to come again after three months to take his wife home. The dog symbolizes faithfulness. This painting may relate directly to Rembrandt’s life. The face of Elizabeth is reminiscent of the artist’s mother, who died in 1640 just as his wife was about to give birth.

Mary’s visit also brought divine grace to both Elizabeth and her unborn child, John the Baptist. Even though he was still in his mother’s womb, John became already aware of the presence of Jesus who was still in Mary’s womb. When Mary and Elizabeth met at the doorsteps of Zacharias’ house – the “Visitation” – Elizabeth spoke out with a loud voice and said to Mary: “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” And Elizabeth said that as soon as she heard the voice of Mary’s greeting, her baby leaped in her womb for joy. At that moment the still to be born John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Drawn by Raphael (1483 – 1520) and finished by his workshop, “The Visitation” (c.1517), 200x145cm, Museo del Prado, Madrid.
The two figures can be told apart by their age. Mary is depicted as a young woman while Elizabeth, on the left, is an old woman, which emphasizes the miracle of her pregnancy, as the Bible texts have it. The scene takes place in a landscape and in the background we can see an event which would take place years later: Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. This work was drawn by Raphael, who was paid 300 escudos. He then had the painting done by one of his assistants, though it is not clear which one. 

Since the Medieval era, Elizabeth’s greeting, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb,” has formed the second part of the “Ave Maria” or the “Hail Mary” song. The first part are the words the angel Gabriel said to Mary when he announced she will be pregnant of Jesus. One of the most famous composed music versions is Franz Schubert’s “Ave Maria” from 1825. Listen to it via the link, with English and Latin lyrics provided in the clip and hereunder.

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Ave Maria, gratia plena,
Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedíctus fructus ventris tui, Jesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
Domenikos Theotokopoulos (aka El Greco) (1541 – 1614), “Visitation” (c.1612), 97x71cm, Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, DC.
This Visitation painting was intended for the Church of San Vicente in Toledo, Spain, and the contract signed in 1607 stipulated “in the ceiling a story of the Visitation of Saint Elizabeth, … which is to be placed in a circle. ” By April 17, 1613, El Greco declared the paintings completed. However, it is not certain that The Visitation was installed. El Greco used quite some artistic – almost modern – abstractions in this 17th century work.  

In response to Elizabeth, Mary proclaims the famous words “My soul magnifies the Lord” in what is now called “Song of Mary” or “Magnificat”. Mary rejoices that she has the privilege of giving birth to Jesus. While Mary speaks to Elizabeth, she also turns a bit into a revolutionary as she continues looking forward to God transforming the world. “The proud will be brought low, and the humble will be lifted; the hungry will be fed, and the rich will go without.” In her answer to Elizabeth, Mary transforms herself from an obedient humble girl into an adult fighter for justice and protector of the poor. This “Magnificat” is nowadays banned in certain countries, as seen dangerous by the ruling oppressors. Johann Sebastian Bach put music to the words and created in 1723 his masterpiece “Magnificat”. Listen to it via the link, at least for the first few minutes. Lyrics in English and Latin hereunder.

My soul magnifies the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for He has looked with favor on His humble servant;  from this day all generations will call me blessed.
The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is His Name,
He has mercy on those who fear Him in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm;
He has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.

Magnificat anima mea Dominum;
Et exultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo,
Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae; ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes.
Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est, et sanctum nomen ejus,
Et misericordia ejus a progenie in progenies timentibus eum.
Fecit potentiam in bracchio suo;
Dispersit superbos mente cordis sui.
Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles.
Esurientes implevit bonis, et divites dimisit inanes.
Pontormo (1494 – 1557), “Visitation” (c.1529), 202x156cm, San Michele e San Francesco, Carmignano, Tuscany, Italy. This “Visitation” has remained in the church for which it was painted for almost its whole existence. In the foreground of the painting, we see Mary and Elizabeth, in the background two handmaids.

Mary, through her meeting with Elizabeth, is no longer a silent participant of the Christmas story. She is a protector of the suppressed and a revolutionary, a fighter for a better world. Celebrating Christmas, is celebrating hope for a better world, for true justice to come.

Johann Sadeler (I) (1550 – 1600) engraver, after Maerten de Vos (1531 – 1603) drawer, “Visitation” (c.1588), 2nd print from the series of 15, “Life and Passion of Christ and the Virgin”, Engraving, 19x14cm, RijksMuseum, Amsterdam. An almost nowadays meet and greet between two couples. Mary and Elizabeth, who are both pregnant, kiss and hug. And their husband, Joseph and Zacharias, shake hands.

And for the sake of completeness, here is the full text of the Bible story of The Visitation; Luke 1:39-56, in the new international version.

Mary Visits Elizabeth (39 - 45)

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Mary’s Song (46 - 55)

And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. (56)

Pontormo (1494 – 1557)

Pontormo (1494 – 1557), “Visitation of the Virgin and Saint Elizabeth” (1528), Oil on Board”, 202x156cm, Church of San Michele e San Francesco, Carmignano, Italy.

On the 24th of May, 1494, birth of Jacopo Carucci da Pontormo, simply known as Pontormo. He is famous for his Mannerist way of painting, with figures in a floating, almost dancing, manner. Pontormo painted in and around Florence, often supported by the Medici family. Here is Pontormo’s “Visitation of the Virgin and Saint Elizabeth”, housed in the church of San Francesco e Michele in Carmignano, about 20 km west of Florence. The Visitation is the visit of the Virgin Mary, who was pregnant with Jesus, to Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist, (Luke 1:39–56).

Pontormo’s work was quite out of fashion for several centuries. Though he has received renewed attention by contemporary art historians. Indeed, in 2002, Pontormo’s “Portrait of a Halberdier” was the world’s most expensive painting by an Old Master. The Halberdier holds a halberd, a combination of spear and battle-axe. The sitter’s identity has been much discussed. It could be the young nobleman Francesco Guardi at the age of around fifteen. But it has also been suggested that the portrait represents Cosimo de’ Medici himself.

Pontormo (1494 – 1557), “Portrait of a Halberdier (Francesco Guardi?)” (1529), Oil on Panel transferred to Canvas, 95x73cm, The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

Pontormo’s closest pupil was Bronzino, who followed Pontormo’s style. Of several paintings it’s disputed if the author is Pontormo or Bronzino.