312 - Albrecht Dürer (1471 – Nuremberg – 1528), The Coat of Arms with a Rooster.

Albrecht Dürer (1471 – Nuremberg – 1528), The Coat of Arms with a Rooster. Engraving on laid paper, “Large City Gate” watermark (Meder 264). (c. 1502/03). 18.4 x 11.9 cm (sheet). Bartsch 100; Meder 97 e (of g); Schoch/Mende/Scherbaum 35 e (of g). A fine Meder e impression, with the scratch above the helmet. Dürer’s first engraving of a coat of arms—unrivaled in the 15th century for its technical mastery and decorative richness—depicts an imaginary heraldic device. Attempts to identify the arms with a specific family have remained inconclusive. Instead, they appear to be an invention, combining various heraldic elements—the shield with a rampant lion, the helmet, elaborate scrollwork, and the cockerel. Dürer may have created the engraving as a demonstration of his skill, intended to attract commissions for similar heraldic designs. – With minor foxing on the front and back. Two vertical creases, visible mainly on the back. Otherwise in good condition. Taxation: subject to differential taxation (VAT: Margin Scheme).