Artwork
Knight in Armour with Bread and Wine
Knight in Armour with Bread and Wine is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Albrecht Altdorfer. It dates from 1514 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Albrecht Altdorfer’s print *Knight in Armour with Bread and Wine* dates to roughly 1514. Executed as an engraving on laid paper, the image presents a solitary armored figure seated at a modest table, his plate bearing a loaf of bread and a goblet of wine. The composition captures a quiet, contemplative pause, contrasting with the usual martial depictions of knights.
Subject & Meaning
The work isolates a moment of domestic tranquility for a medieval warrior, suggesting themes of sustenance, ritual, or perhaps a brief respite before or after combat. By focusing on the simple act of eating and drinking, Altdorfer invites reflection on the humanity underlying the knight’s martial identity.
Technique & Style
Altdorfer employed fine-line engraving, a method that allows delicate incisions to convey texture and tone on the paper’s laid surface. The restrained line work creates a sense of stillness, while the careful modulation of hatching suggests the gleam of metal and the softness of the bread and wine.
History & Provenance
Created while Altdorfer was active in Regensburg, the print aligns with his output as a member of the Danube School. It was circulated among the Nuremberg Little Masters, a group noted for small-scale, highly detailed prints that catered to a growing market for affordable artworks.
Context
Altdorfer’s reputation as an early landscape specialist informs the print’s background, even though the setting is minimal. The emphasis on a solitary figure in a quiet interior anticipates later Northern Renaissance interests in everyday life and personal devotion, marking the work as a bridge between narrative illustration and intimate genre scenes.
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…
