Albrecht Altdorfer’s woodcut, “Death of the Virgin”, c1513

Albrecht Altdorfer (1482/5–1538)

“Death of the Virgin” (aka “Le Trépas de la Vierge”; “Dood van Maria”), c1513, thirty-eighth plate from the series of forty prints, “Fall and Redemption of Man” (aka “De val en verlossing van de mensheid”; “The Fall and Salvation of Mankind Through the Life and Passion of Christ”).

Woodcut on fine laid paper, first state/lifetime impression (before damages to the borderline on the left and right sides), trimmed with a narrow margin around the image borderline.

Size: (sheet) 7.6 x 5 cm; (image borderline) 7.3 x 4.8 cm.

Signed in plate with with the artist’s monogram at upper-left corner: “AA”.

Lifetime impression. State i (of iii) before damage to the borderline on the left and right sides (compare with state ii impression held by the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.30766).

TIB 14(8).38(75) (Robert A Koch 1980, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Early German Masters”, vol., 14, New York, Abaris Books, p. 144, cat. no. 38 [75]); New Hollstein (German) w.38 (Ursula Mielke [comp.] 1997, “The new Hollstein: German Engravings, Etchings and Woodcuts 1400–1700: Albrecht and Erhard Altdorfer”, Rotterdam, Sound and Vision Interactive, p. 109, cat. no. w.38); Dodgson 38 (Campbell Dodgson 1911, “Catalogue of Early German and Flemish Woodcuts Preserved in the Department of Prints and Drawings of the British Museum”, vol 2., London, British Museum, p. 225 cat. no. 38).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “Death of the Virgin; seated Virgin holding candle, surrounded by apostles. c.1513/ Woodcut” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1895-0122-345).

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed (near faultless) impression, trimmed with a narrow margin around the image borderline. Beyond remnants of hinges verso, the sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, losses, abrasions, stains, foxing or significant signs of handling.

I am selling this small woodcut that is a superb lifetime impression (based on the quality of the line showing no sign of wear to the printing plate and none of the later breaks/damages to the border line) by one of the Nuremberg Little Masters (Kleinmeister) for AU$516 in total (currently US$369.16/EUR350.45/GBP295.07 at the time of posting this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries.

If you are interested in purchasing this tiny woodcut masterwork from the Renaissance, I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold