Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 5 13/16 × 3 7/8 in. (14.7 × 9.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
George Khuner Collection, Bequest of Marianne Khuner, 1984
Accession Number
1984.1201.21
Tags
Art Historical Context
Albrecht Dürer, renowned German artist of the Northern Renaissance, created this intimate engraving *Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg in 1519. Depicting the powerful Archbishop of Mainz and Brandenburg—who rose to prominence as a key church figure in the Holy Roman Empire—the portrait captures his dignified likeness alongside his coat of arms. At just 5 13/16 × 3 7/8 inches, this small-scale print exemplifies Dürer's mastery in elevating engraving to a fine art form, making detailed portraits accessible to a wide audience beyond the elite. Dürer's technique shines through in the precise, intr...
About the Artist
Albrecht Dürer|Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg · 1471–1528
Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528) stands as the preeminent figure of the Northern Renaissance and arguably the most influential artist in the history of printmaking. Born in Nuremberg on May 21, 1471, and dying in the same city on April 6, 1528, Dürer revolutionized the status of the artist in Northern Europe, transforming printmaking from a commercial craft into an independent fine art and establishing ...