Allegorie met het wapenschild van het keizerrijk en twee wapenschilden van de stad Neurenberg

Allegorie met het wapenschild van het keizerrijk en twee wapenschilden van de stad Neurenberg by Albrecht Dürer is a significant German print executed in 1521. Classified specifically as a print on paper, the work likely utilizes the medium of woodcut or engraving, techniques in which Dürer was a supreme master during the Northern Renaissance. This highly symbolic piece functions as an allegory, celebrating the political and cultural identity of Dürer's home city of Nuremberg within the complex structure of the Holy Roman Empire.

The composition is centered on prominent heraldic devices, which include the official coat of arms of the imperial power, flanked by two distinct shields representing the free imperial city of Nuremberg. Such prints were often commissioned or created for public display, asserting the city’s status and allegiance during a politically dynamic period in 16th-century Germany. Dürer, a foremost figure in the dissemination of art and ideas through reproductive media, created numerous allegorical and heraldic designs throughout his career. The characteristic precision and sharp detail evident in Dürer’s graphic work elevates this seemingly official subject into a masterful example of Renaissance printmaking.

As one of the important political prints of its type, the work provides valuable insight into the intersection of civic pride, imperial power, and artistic production in the early modern era. This influential German work is preserved today in the esteemed collection of the Rijksmuseum. Like many of the master Allegorie met het wapenschild van het keizerrijk prints from this prolific period, the artwork has entered the public domain, allowing global accessibility for scholars and enthusiasts alike.