The Third Knot, tipped into The Painter's Manual and other texts

"The Third Knot, tipped into The Painter's Manual and other texts" by Albrecht Dürer German, 1471-1528, represents a crucial intersection of art, geometry, and instructional publishing during the German Renaissance. The work itself is a sharp woodcut printed in black ink on ivory laid paper. As a component of a larger text, this print demonstrates Dürer’s commitment to theoretical and graphic arts, foundational to his immense influence on printmaking across Germany.

The print is structurally complex, having been tipped into a volume composed of additional woodcuts and letterpress text, likely relating to Dürer's posthumously published theoretical works. The book itself is a masterpiece of historical bookbinding, cased in full alum-tawed pigskin over beveled wooden boards. This robust binding is meticulously blind tooled with detailed patterns and secured by two functional brass hook-clasp fastenings, highlighting the value and permanence attributed to the manual.

Given Dürer’s death in 1528, the binding and final assembly of the work occurred within the 1525-1538 timeframe, confirming the enduring market for his technical knowledge immediately after his death. Dürer’s revolutionary approach transformed the simple woodcut technique into an expressive medium, exemplified by the precision required to render geometric subjects like The Third Knot. This rare, finely preserved volume is maintained within the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, offering scholars access to a key artifact of Early Modern German printing history. Many prints by Dürer are now part of the public domain, securing his legacy as a Renaissance master accessible globally.