The Knight and His Lady, ca. 1490

From the 'Scenes from Everyday Life' series

Blatt: 160 x 110 mm
Darstellung: 158 x 108 mm

Physical Description: copperplate engraving on vergé paper

Inventory Number: 58216

Object Number: 58216 D

Acquisition: Acquired in 1889

Status: Can be presented in the study room of the Graphische Sammlung (special opening hours)

Texts

About the Work

Seemingly, the elaborate banderoles indicate a carefully worded conversation. Yet, it is not at all clear what kind of relationship might be at stake here. The young man, in the clothes of a contemporary sophisticated ‘dandy’, has put his arm around the woman’s waist. Does she grasp his hand behind her back or does she brush it off? Her uncovered hair characterises her as unmarried, but she points to the key ring and pouch hanging from her belt, thus wears a housewife’s insignia. Does she want to signal that marriage must come before any more physical advances? A few years later, Albrecht Dürer engraved a similar couple (Inv. 31408).

Work Data

Basic Information

Title: The Knight and His Lady
From the 'Scenes from Everyday Life' series

Engraver

Israhel van Meckenem the Younger

Period Produced

15th century

Object Type

art print

Physical Description: copperplate engraving on vergé paper

Material

Vergé paper

Technique

copperplate engraving

Geographic Reference

German

Label at the Time of Manufacture: Monogrammiert in der Platte unten mittig: ° I ° M °

Captions Added Later: Verso bezeichnet oben (mit Bleistift): Bei Durazzo bezahlt mit 480 f. 5 % Aufg [?] 24 504 f. Th. 288. 864 Mark; unten mittig (mit Bleistift): 386 [im Kreis] / LDE.M N [A?]:28376 f. 182
Verso unten links Stempel des Städelschen Kunstinstituts, Frankfurt am Main (Lugt 2356), mit zugehöriger Inventarnummer

Watermark