Pyramus and Thisbe

Rendered with fine, intersecting lines typical of engraving, the print achieves depth through cross‑hatching and delicate shading. The artist’s handling of the dense foliage and distant architecture demonstrates a keen eye for atmospheric perspective, while the compact scale aligns the work with the meticulous, highly detailed prints produced by the Nuremberg Little Masters.

Created in Regensburg, the work belongs to Altdorfer’s early printmaking period, when he was establishing his reputation beyond painting. Though specific ownership records are scarce, the piece has been catalogued among his surviving engravings and is recognized as part of the corpus that circulated among collectors of German Renaissance prints.

Altdorfer was a central figure of the Danube School, a movement noted for integrating expansive, emotive landscapes into narrative scenes. This print exemplifies his practice of placing biblical or mythological episodes within richly rendered natural settings, a hallmark that helped define the school’s distinctive blend of story and environment.