Pilgrims at the Church of the 'Beautiful Virgin' at Regensburg

This scene shows the religious fervor that surrounded the miraculous image of the Beautiful Virgin of Regensburg. Pilgrims are shown lining up to get into the wooden church that was erected temporarily on the site of the old synagogue and prostrating themselves before the statue of the Virgin and Child carved in 1516 by Erhard Heydenreich, architect of the cathedral. The thirteenth-century icon was credited with the miracle of the stone mason, and soon after reports of further miracles boosted publicity for the site. In 1519 a list was published including 74 miracles, three years later, as many as 731 were recorded. Originally printed in 1519 or 1520, the block was reused in 1610 with a separately printed German text pasted underneath. The text of the new inscription is also written in black pen and ink in the upper portion of the print.