Madonna and Child on a Crescent

Among 459 prints by the Master S are a dozen representations of the Virgin in Glory or as Queen of Heaven, some in rectangular format, as here, but others in circle, oval or diamond shapes. The almond-shaped aura, or mandorla, surrounding the Virgin frames her within sun's rays issuing from stylized clouds. The artist was probably trained and worked as a goldsmith, as is evident from the imaginative ornamental detail in his graphic work. This unrecorded impression bears all the characteristics of the master's style. His engraver's instrument, the burin, has been wielded with great delicacy, manipulated by crosshatching in the shadows to emphasize sculptural solidity. While the miniature image is as imposing as an icon, it has an inviting, welcoming spirit as well.