Artwork
An Allegory of Pride
An Allegory of Pride is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Albrecht Altdorfer. It dates from 1506 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1506 by Albrecht Altdorfer, a German artist linked to the Danube School, this engraving on laid paper presents an allegorical scene. The work exemplifies the printmaking practice of the early sixteenth century and reflects Altdorfer’s engagement with moral subjects through detailed line work.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a seated woman surrounded by a towering heap of garments. She wears an ornate headpiece adorned with foliage, holds a mirror, and rests a hand on her chest, gazing downward. The accumulation of clothing and the reflective object suggest themes of vanity, wealth, and the sin of pride, common moral concerns in Renaissance allegory.
Technique & Style
Executed as an engraving, the image relies on fine incised lines to render texture and depth on laid paper. Altdorfer’s handling of light and shadow, as well as the intricate detailing of fabric folds and foliage, demonstrate the precision associated with the Nuremberg Little Masters, a group noted for small, highly finished prints.
History & Provenance
The print emerged from Altdorfer’s early career, when he was establishing his reputation as both painter and printmaker. While specific ownership records are scarce, the work has been documented in collections of early German engravings and is cited in scholarly surveys of the Danube School’s output.
Context
Altdorfer’s affiliation with the Danube School meant that his works often combined narrative content with expressive landscapes. Though this engraving focuses on a figure rather than a natural setting, its attention to detail and moralizing subject aligns with the school’s broader interest in integrating human stories within richly rendered environments.
Legacy
The piece contributes to Altdorfer’s reputation as a pioneer of landscape as an autonomous genre and as a skilled engraver. Its survival illustrates the diffusion of allegorical prints in the early modern period and informs contemporary understanding of how Renaissance artists used print media to disseminate moral lessons.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Albrecht Altdorfer (c. 1480 – 12 February 1538) was a German painter, engraver and architect of the Renaissance working in Regensburg. Along with Lucas Cranach the Elder and Wolf Huber he is regarded to be the main…
