Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg ("Small Cardinal")

Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg ("Small Cardinal") is a significant engraving created by the master German Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer in 1519. Classified technically as a print, this piece was executed using the demanding technique of engraving on laid paper. This method required Dürer to meticulously incise lines into a copper plate, allowing for the creation of precise detail and the rich tonal variation that defined the early 16th century aesthetic.

The subject, Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg (1490-1545), was one of the most powerful and controversial figures during the Reformation, serving as the Archbishop-Elector of Mainz and Magdeburg. Dürer captured the Cardinal’s likeness in two major prints that year; this particular image, known as the “Small Cardinal,” focuses on a dignified, half-length portrait emphasizing the sitter’s ecclesiastical authority and status. Created at the height of the German Renaissance, during the pivotal years spanning 1501 to 1550, the work reflects the shifting dynamics between spiritual power and humanist inquiry.

Dürer’s skill transforms the practical process of printmaking into high art, using the delicate network of engraved lines to render the textures of the Cardinal’s elaborate vestments and the intensity of his gaze. The composition is highly controlled, giving the piece a monumental feeling despite its small scale. As one of Dürer's key prints, the work serves as an important documentation of both the sitter and the evolution of German graphic arts. Surviving impressions, such as the exemplary copy held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, allow scholars and enthusiasts access to the subtle brilliance of the master printmaker. Given the age and institutional ownership of the original plates, this important example of Renaissance printmaking is frequently categorized as a public domain work, facilitating wider research and educational access.