Alfred Rethel

Alfred Rethel was an artist active during the early to middle nineteenth century, working from 1816 until 1849. His documented output heavily favors works on paper, with fifteen objects, including fourteen prints and one drawing, represented in major North American institutions.

Alfred Rethel's prints are notable for their dramatic themes and detailed execution. Key works held in collections include the series Auch ein Todtentanz (plates I and II), as well as two impressions of Der Tod als Freund (Death as a Friend). A drawing titled Drapery Study is also documented among his surviving works. Today, high-quality prints by Alfred Rethel are preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago, establishing his legacy within major American collections. Given the age of his output, much of this material is now in the public domain, often available as downloadable artwork for scholarly review.