Arion and Nereide
c. 1520/1525
Medium
engraving
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.428
Art Historical Context
**Arion and Nereide *Albrecht Altdorfer c. 1520/1525, engraving* *Rosenwald Collection, National Gallery of Art, CG-E* Step into the enchanting world of Albrecht Altdfer, a master of Danube School, with this delicate engraving depicting the ancient Greek myth of Arion, the poet saved from drowning by a dolphin, accompanied by a graceful Nereid sea nymph. Created around 1520–1525 during the Northern Renaissance, the work captures Altdorfer's signature blend of intricate detail and atmospheric fantasy, where mythological figures emerge from swirling waves and fantastical seascapes. As a pio...
About the Artist
Albrecht Altdorfer · 1475–1538
Albrecht Altdorfer (c. 1480–1538) was a German painter, printmaker, and draftsman who stands as one of the founders of landscape painting as an independent genre. Born in Regensburg or nearby Altdorf, he learned art from his father Ulrich, a painter and miniaturist. Altdorfer spent most of his life in Regensburg, becoming a citizen in 1505 and later serving as the city's official architect and a m...