Covered Goblet with Grapes on the Stem

Created by incising a copper plate with a needle, the etching employs the then‑novel process of acid biting to produce delicate lines that are transferred onto paper. Altdorfer’s handling of line and hatching yields a textured surface, emphasizing the curvature of the goblet and the clustered grapes, aligning his approach with the meticulous small‑scale prints of the Nuremberg Little Masters.

Altdorfer, a leading figure of the Danube School based in Regensburg, produced this work during a period when he was expanding his repertoire beyond large religious and landscape compositions. The print was likely circulated among collectors of the time, though specific ownership records are scarce; it survives today in museum collections that document his printmaking output.

While Altdorfer is best known for integrating biblical narratives into vivid natural settings, this piece reflects his versatility in handling independent subjects. The focus on a single object mirrors the broader Renaissance interest in still life and the study of material qualities, a theme that would later develop more fully in Northern European art.