"Betrothal of Phillipp with Johanna, plate 15 from Historical Scenes from the Life of Emperor Maximilian I from the Triumphal Arch" is a seminal print created by Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471-1528) and printed by Hieronymus Andreae (German, died 1556) between 1515 and 1517. This demanding work is executed as a woodcut in black ink on cream laid paper. It represents one of the biographical panels commissioned by Emperor Maximilian I, intended for the monumental Triumphal Arch. This ambitious public project served as a massive visual commemoration of the Emperor’s glorious lineage and accomplishments, defining the apex of German Renaissance imperial propaganda.
The scene specifically depicts the politically significant betrothal of Phillipp the Handsome, son of Maximilian I, to Johanna of Castile (Juana la Loca), an alliance that solidified the Hapsburg claim to the Spanish throne. Dürer’s skilled handling of the woodcut medium allows for intricate detailing, despite the reductive nature of the technique. The precise lines and dramatic use of contrast distinguish this piece as a high point of 16th-century German graphic arts production. The sheer scale of the overall Triumphal Arch project, which required assembling over 190 individual sheets, underscores the magnitude of the commission and its political importance across Germany and Europe.
As one of the most celebrated printmakers of the 16th century, Dürer ensured that the legacy of Maximilian I was widely distributed. The production of prints facilitated the broad dissemination of this historical narrative beyond the imperial court. This particular example, along with other key prints from the Triumphal Arch series, is held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. The importance of Dürer’s prints ensures they remain crucial references for Renaissance art history, and high-resolution images of such masterpieces are frequently available through the public domain.
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