5073 - Dürer, Albrecht

Dürer, Albrecht The Knight, Death, and the Devil. Copperplate engraving. 24.3 x 18.7 cm. 1513. B. 98, Meder 74 a-b (von g), Albrecht Dürer: Master Printmaker, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 1988, 179–180. This early print of “Knight, Death, and the Devil”—or “Der Reuter,” as Dürer himself called it—is the first of the three depictions known as the “Master Prints.” The two prints “St. Jerome in His Cell” (see Lot 5071) and “Melencolia” were created the following year, in 1514. Since Heinrich Wölfflin, art-historical research has dealt extensively with the prototypes and the iconographic interpretation of this depiction of the “Eques christianus.” According to Wölfflin, Leonardo da Vinci’s model for the equestrian monument to Francesco Sforza likely served as the archetype. The Reuter is generally interpreted as depicting a Christian knight who, invulnerable in his armor and unimpressed by Decaying Death riding beside him and Death with a lance behind him, rides through a dark valley full of shadows toward the supposed light of salvation. Traces of the parallel lines in the short trees at the top—which Meder describes as characteristic of the very early prints—are still visible; furthermore, the faint rust spots in the lower right corner are already discernible, which, according to the Boston Dürer catalog, are present in their early stages even on early prints. No watermark, as noted for early prints. A magnificent, clear, and yet richly contrasted print that displays a harmonious image across the entire composition, with a very fine edge around the sharply defined plate edge. Slightly yellowed, with isolated, very pale spots—especially on the reverse—some of which have been inconspicuously faded on the obverse, such as on the rock and the knight’s hand; a slight horizontal center fold with a delicate, short crease on the right, as well as other slight, smoothed-out crease marks that are barely visible on the front; a tiny wormhole in the upper right next to the fox’s tail; a thin spot in the lower center; a rubbed area in the lower left corner; on the left above the skull, a closed tear along the edge with a tiny tear, other repairs—mostly only spot repairs and, moreover, very carefully executed—such as between the dog and the horse, other insignificant signs of wear, but otherwise in very fine overall condition; a magnificent specimen. - Please ask for condition reports for individual lots, as the condition is usually not mentioned in the catalog. - Please ask for condition reports for individual lots, as the condition is usually not mentioned in the catalog.