Jael and Sisera

Altdorfer employed the woodcut process, carving the design into a block of wood, inking the raised surfaces, and pressing the block onto laid paper. The print is marked by crisp, angular lines that delineate the trees, architecture, and figures, while the expansive landscape reflects the Danube School’s characteristic emphasis on atmospheric, expressive settings.

Created during Altdorfer’s early career in Regensburg, the work aligns with his reputation as a member of the Nuremberg Little Masters, a group noted for intricate, small‑scale prints. The piece has remained in the museum’s collection since its acquisition in the early twentieth century, providing a rare example of his printmaking output.

Altdorfer’s interest in landscape as an autonomous subject is evident in the detailed foliage and distant structures that frame the central drama. This approach, typical of the Danube School, integrates natural scenery with religious storytelling, reflecting a broader Renaissance trend of situating sacred events within recognizable, lived environments.