The Large Horse by Albrecht Dürer

Albrecht Dürer
1471-1528 | German

The Large Horse

Dated in the plate on upper margin at center; monogrammed in the plate lower right: AD
Meder state e (of f)
Copperplate engraving on laid paper

“Whatever was mortal in Albrecht Dürer lies beneath this mound.” — Albrecht Dürer’s epitaph

Widely regarded as the greatest engraver in history, Albrecht Dürer revolutionized the art form by infusing it with unparalleled naturalism and technical mastery, a legacy that remains unsurpassed. His engraving The Large Horse reflects his lifelong fascination with ideal beauty, naturalism and proportion. Influenced by the Italian Renaissance masters, including Pisanello, Donatello, Mantegna and Leonardo da Vinci, Dürer presents a monumental horse in a strikingly foreshortened pose, its powerful hindquarters closest to the viewer.

Standing with its rear legs slightly raised on a narrow ledge, the horse’s muscular form is accentuated by the artist’s meticulous rendering of sinew, coat texture and the finely curled hairs of its mane and tail. The animal's bridle is held by a partially obscured warrior, who strides forward behind it while carrying a vertical pike. A textured wall with vegetation and a column bearing the legs of a statue serves as the backdrop, enhancing the composition’s depth.

The large, bridled horse represents intellect’s victory over raw power, brought under control through discipline and mastery. Its tail is doubly knotted, reinforcing this theme of restraint. The armored warrior holding the bridle smiles victoriously as he strides forward. His ornate helmet is surmounted by a dolphin—considered the most intelligent of sea creatures.

Horses appear frequently in Dürer’s engravings, often serving as studies in movement and proportion or as symbolic figures. Here, Dürer takes a naturalistic approach, meticulously rendering every detail through finely detailed shading. The result is both a striking portrait of a powerful yet docile creature and a testament to Dürer’s exceptional skill in the copper engraving medium.

Albrecht Dürer, born in Nuremberg in 1471, is regarded as the most influential artist of the Northern Renaissance. Early in his career, Dürer apprenticed with his father, a goldsmith, and later with Michael Wolgemut, whose workshop introduced him to woodcut illustration. Fascinated by the Italian Renaissance, Dürer made two formative visits to Italy, where he absorbed the classical techniques of masters like Pollaiuolo, Mantegna and Michelangelo. Dürer engraved this poignant depiction of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child following his second trip to Venice in 1505-1507. The stay marked a turning point in his career, and this engraving reveals Dürer's deepened understanding of classical form, as well as his mastery of naturalistic effects in light and shade. His ability to merge these Italian influences with the Northern tradition of intricate detail established Dürer as a leading figure in Renaissance art.

Throughout his career, Dürer created works that transcended the boundaries of woodcuts, engravings and paintings, demonstrating unmatched intellectual and artistic depth. Dürer was the most influential German artist of his time, serving as court artist to both Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I and his successor Charles V. Examples of this work are featured in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., the Harvard Art Museums and other esteemed institutions.

Plate dated 1505

Paper: 6 1/4" high x 4 1/2" wide (15.88 x 11.43 cm)
Frame: 17 1/2" high x 13 1/2" wide x 1 1/8" deep (44.45 x 34.29 x 2.86 cm)

Literature:
Dodgson, C. The Masters of Engraving and Etching: Albrecht Dürer, London and Boston, 1926. No. 44.
Hollstein, F.W.H. German Engravings, Etchings and Woodcuts, c.1400-1700. Volume VII. Amsterdam: M. Hertzberger, 1954-. No. 94.
Panofsky, E. The Life and Art of Albrecht Dürer, Princeton, New Jersey, 1971. No. 126
Schoch, R., M. Mende and A. Scherbaum. Albrecht Dürer. Das Druckgraphische Werk. Band I: Kupferstiche, Eisenradierungen und Kaltnadelblätter. Munich, London, New York, 2001. No. 43.

Provenance:
Private Collection, Germany
M.S. Rau, New Orleans