A sixteenth-century hand-coloured woodcut by Doen Pietersz. depicting the emotional departure of Christ from his mother.

This hand-coloured woodcut by the Dutch printer and publisher Doen Pietersz. depicts the poignant moment of Christ taking leave of his mother, the Virgin Mary. Active in Amsterdam during the early sixteenth century, Pietersz. produced various illustrated books that brought religious narratives to a wider audience through accessible, graphic imagery. The composition follows the conventions of Northern Renaissance printmaking, where the focus remains on the emotional exchange between the figures rather than spatial depth.

Christ is shown gesturing towards his mother, who kneels in a posture of humble acceptance. The figures are rendered with bold, direct lines characteristic of the woodcut medium, which allowed for the efficient reproduction of devotional scenes. The application of colour, likely added by hand shortly after the printing process, provides a clear distinction between the garments and the surrounding environment. The background includes a simplified tree and a hilly horizon, typical of the period's approach to narrative settings. The presence of the artist's mark in the lower left corner confirms the origin of this print within the context of early Dutch book production.

This work reflects the devotional practices of the time, where such images were often included in prayer books or small pamphlets to aid personal meditation. The style is functional and clear, prioritising the legibility of the narrative over anatomical precision. The contrast between the dark, heavy outlines and the applied pigments creates a distinct visual rhythm. As a piece of early printing history, it offers insight into the dissemination of religious iconography in the Low Countries during the Reformation era. The print remains a representative example of the woodcut tradition that defined the visual culture of the sixteenth-century book trade.