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Die Abenteuer des Ritters Theuerdank

Woodcut
ca. 1517 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Cutting from book, woodcut depicting various adventures encountered by the knight Theuerdank on his journey to woo his betrothed.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleDie Abenteuer des Ritters Theuerdank (series title)
Materials and techniques
Woodcut on paper
Brief description
Woodcut by Leonard Beck. Theuerdank escapes injury from a fall of stones. Illustration, plate 53, to Theuerdank by Melchior Pfinzing, a disguised autobiography of the Emperor Maximilian I (1459-1519). First printed by Hans Schonsperger the Elder, Nuremberg, 1517.
Physical description
Cutting from book, woodcut depicting various adventures encountered by the knight Theuerdank on his journey to woo his betrothed.
Dimensions
  • Average height: 6.25in
  • Average width: 5.5in
Styles
Credit line
Presented by Art Fund
Object history
Commissioned by Emperor Maximilian I as one of three works supposedly chronicling his life (Freydal and Weisskönig being the other two). This one was the only one to be published in the Emperor's lifetime. It is a fictional story set to an allegorical poem of the adventures of a knight whilst on a journey to meet his betrothed 'Ehrenreich'. During the journey, he encounters his three enemies Furwittig, Unfalo, and Neidelharta. The tale is a fictional version of the Emperor's own journey to meet his betrothed Maria von Burgundy (the daughter of Charles the Bold). 'Theuerdank' means 'Knight of Adventurous Thoughts'.

The book was printed in Augsburg in 1517 in an edition of 40 on parchment and 300 on paper by Hans Schonsperger. It was only distributed after Maximilian's death in 1519.

The 118 illustrations were contributed by at least three artists, Hans Burgkmair, Leonhard Beck and Hans Schäuffelein. The designs were cut by Jost de Negker's large team of block-cutters.
Subjects depicted
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • Pfinzer, Melchior. Die Abenteuer des Ritters Theuerdank. Augsburg, printed by Hans Schonsperger, 1517.
  • Simon Laschitzer. 'Einleitung zur Faksimileausgabe des Theuerdank', in Jahrbuch der kunsthistorischen Sammlungen des allerhöchsten Kaiserhauses. (8), Vienna, 1888.
  • Victoria and Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1951 London: HMSO, 1962.
  • Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1951, London, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1962.
Collection
Accession number
E.290-1951

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
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