Daniel Hopfer, I
German, 1470-1536
The Church Enthroned
INV-4181
Daniel Hopfer, I
German, 1470-15361490/1536
The Church Enthroned
Daniel Hopfer, I German, 1470-1536 →etchingprint
Date
1490/1536
Medium
Etching in black on cream laid paper
Dimensions
Image/plate/sheet: 22.9 × 15.9 cm (9 1/16 × 6 5/16 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Bequest of Mrs. Potter Palmer, Jr.
This early state of Daniel Hopfer’s etching was likely printed during the artist’s lifetime, though subsequent identifications of its subject vary. Some believe it depicts Saint Barbara (who displays a chalice and communion wafer in a nearby woodcut by Hans Baldung Grien, 2009.43). Others argue the figure is the Virgin Mary, with the hovering head of Christ and the tiny Crucifixion on the host above her abdomen announcing her pregnancy. Unlike many Japanese prints in this gallery, the image does not refer to a specific cult statue or pilgrimage site. Instead, Mary’s halo, regal throne, and cloth of honor reflect the power of the entire Church.
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