Death and the Lansquenet

1510

Albrecht Dürer

Associated Names
Albrecht Dürer

Artist, German, 1471 - 1528

This print depicts two figures. On the left is a skeletal figure holding an hourglass, facing the right. The skeleton is draped in ragged cloth and has wispy hair on its head. On the right is a guard or soldier with a sword at his side and detailed clothing, including a doublet, boots, and a feathered hat, holding a polearm. He is looking towards the hourglass the skeleton holds out towards him. In the background appears to be a tall wall under a blank sky, and the ground appears to be dirt or rocks. Above the figures, "1510" is inscribed.

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.
Not on view See artworks now on view

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    woodcut on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet (trimmed to block): 12.2 × 8.4 cm (4 13/16 × 3 5/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.3611

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Meder, no. 239

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Abraham G. Gerson [died c. 1904], Vienna (Lugt 1156a); purchased by Lessing J. Rosenwald [1891-1979], Jenkintown, PA (Lugt 1760b and Lugt 1932d), 1929; gift to NGA, 1943.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1971

  • Dürer in America: His Graphic Work, NGA, 1971, no. 120, repro.

1974

  • Europe in Torment: 1450-1550, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI, 1974, no. 43, repro.

Bibliography

1932

  • Meder, Joseph. Dürer-Katalog; ein Handbuch über Albrecht Dürers Stiche, Radierungen, Holzschnitte, deren Zustände, Ausgaben und Wasserzeichen. Vienna: Verlag Gilhofer und Ranschburg, 1932. Reprint. New York: Da Capo Press, 1971: no. 239.

2001

  • Schoch, Rainer, Mattihas Mende, and Anna Scherbaum. Albrecht Dürer: Das druckgraphische Werk. Munich, 2001: vol. 2: no. 149.

Inscriptions

in block, top left: 1510; in block, lower right: AD [artist's monogram]; verso, lower left, in graphite by a later hand: 137 80/rare [?] [underlined]; verso, lower right, in graphite by a later hand: C.14360; verso, lower left, in graphite by a later hand: B 132; verso, lower left, in graphite by a later hand: A 637; verso, lower left, in graphite by a later hand: 855; verso, lower right, in graphite by a later hand: 23[8?]; verso, lower center, in graphite by a later hand: 26 [?]; verso, bottom left, in graphite by a later hand: a [?] 68884

Markings

verso, bottom left, in blue ink: BCU [?]

Watermarks

none

Wikidata ID

Q18339649

You may be interested in

Loading Results