Shield with a Unicorn, Held by a Lady
1480/90
Medium
Engraving in black on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
7.6 × 7.6 cm (3 × 3 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
90006
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
In contrast to the wild man, woman, and child seen nearby (1956.917 and 1944.608), this engraving portrays a member of civilization. Only virgins were said to be able to attract and tame unicorns; by including the mythical beast in the shield, Schongauer emphasized the subject’s purity. Later Northern European artists such as Albrecht Dürer would frequently feature this type of grassy bench in depictions of tender moments between the Virgin Mary and Christ Child.
About the Artist
Martin Schongauer · 1435–1491
Martin Schongauer, born around 1450–1453 in Colmar, Alsace, emerged from a family of skilled artisans. The third of four or five sons of goldsmith Caspar Schongauer, who had relocated from Augsburg to Colmar around 1440, Martin was immersed in the goldsmith's trade from youth, likely receiving his initial training in his father's workshop—a common path for early engravers. He further honed his ski...