Congress and double Betrothal in Vienna, plate 23 from Historical Scenes from the Life of Emperor Maximilian I from the Triumphal Arch is a significant early 16th-century print designed by Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471-1528) and expertly printed by Hieronymus Andreae. Executed between 1515 and 1517, this impression utilizes the demanding woodcut technique, rendering the complex historical scene in black ink on cream laid paper. The piece belongs to one of the most ambitious print commissions of the Renaissance: the colossal Triumphal Arch, a project intended to glorify the lineage and achievements of the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I.
Dürer was the principal designer for the massive architectural facade, providing numerous drawings that detailed the Emperor's life and political triumphs. Plate 23 documents the seminal political achievement of 1496: the strategic double betrothal negotiation held in Vienna. This pivotal event secured the marriage of Maximilian’s children to the children of the Burgundian duke and Spanish monarchs, cementing the foundational power base of the Habsburg dynasty across Europe. The meticulous draftsmanship required for the design of the work, and the skillful printing by Andreae, showcase the high level of technical mastery achieved in Germany during this period.
As a designer of court propaganda, Dürer ensured that the prints served as a permanent, reproducible record of imperial history. This enduring commitment to capturing the monumental events of the era through the medium of prints has made the Triumphal Arch an essential reference for Renaissance art historians. This specific impression is held in the distinguished collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, contributing to the public domain understanding of early modern imperial history and the evolving art of the woodcut.
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