Derde en vierde span paarden met allegorieën

Derde en vierde span paarden met allegorieën is a significant print created by the German Renaissance master Albrecht Dürer in 1523. Executed on paper, this work reflects Dürer’s profound and lifelong interest in classical proportion, anatomy, and idealized forms, characteristics that dominated his late career theoretical writings. The piece depicts the third and fourth studies of equine teams, forming part of a larger project dedicated to defining the mathematically perfect ratios of the horse, following earlier designs of the first two spans. While rooted in careful observational study, Dürer moves beyond mere anatomical representation, incorporating subtle allegorical elements that transform the study into a broader commentary on human temperament or virtue, filtered through the disciplined structure of Renaissance art theory.

Dürer was arguably the most influential printmaker of the 16th century, responsible for elevating the status of prints from reproductive media to autonomous fine art objects. This specific study likely served both as an artistic preparation and as an illustration for his influential posthumously published treatise, Vier Bücher von menschlicher Proportion (Four Books on Human Proportion). The mastery exhibited in controlling the linear economy and defining the volume of the animals demonstrates why Dürer’s prints were widely circulated across Europe, setting standards for graphic arts for centuries to come. The work is held in the prestigious collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it serves as a crucial example of the German master’s contribution to the formal dissemination of Renaissance ideals across Northern Europe. As a historical 16th-century piece, high-resolution reproductions of this and related prints are often made accessible through public domain art initiatives.