Artwork
The Revenge of the Sorcerer Virgil
The Revenge of the Sorcerer Virgil is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Albrecht Altdorfer. It dates from 1525 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1525 by Albrecht Altdorfer, a German artist active in Regensburg, this print is an engraving executed on laid paper. It belongs to the body of work that Altdorfer produced alongside his paintings and architectural designs, reflecting his involvement with the Danube School’s emphasis on landscape as an autonomous visual element.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a seated female figure clutching a long staff, while a diminutive kneeling figure reaches upward toward her. The setting is framed by a dark, textured wall and a heavy draped surface, suggesting an interior space that heightens the interaction between the two characters and invites speculation about a narrative drawn from classical or mythological sources.
Technique & Style
Altdorfer employed fine parallel lines that intersect to form cross‑hatching, a method that builds tonal depth and creates a sense of three‑dimensionality on the flat surface of the paper. The crisp line work and meticulous shading are characteristic of the Nuremberg Little Masters, a group known for highly detailed, small‑scale prints.
History & Provenance
The engraving emerged during Altdorfer’s mature period, when he was consolidating his reputation as both a painter of expansive landscapes and a printmaker. Although specific ownership records are scarce, the work has been documented in several European collections of early Renaissance prints, underscoring its circulation among connoisseurs of the period.
Context
Within the broader framework of the Danube School, this piece illustrates Altdorfer’s interest in treating landscape not merely as backdrop but as a subject in its own right. The print’s precise line work and narrative ambiguity influenced later Northern European engravers, contributing to the development of detailed, story‑driven printmaking in the sixteenth century.
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…
