Knight, Death and Devil

1513

Engraving

244 × 187 mm

Elischer collection

The highlight of Dürer’s art as a graphic artist are these three master engravings. On this sheet, the horse on which the armored soldier representing the Christian knight rides is a mature example of Dürer’s horse renditions constructed on the basis of the theory of proportion. Death riding in the background holds an hourglass in front of the soldier, reminding him of transience and inevitable death. The skull lying on a log by the roadside has the same meaning. The dog running about between the legs of the horses and the satanic creature in the background also belong to their retinue. The work may have been inspired by Erasmus’ work The Manual of the Christian Knight published in 1503, which calls upon Christians to live as soldiers standing in the service of God, protecting Faith.