Gentleman and Lady Riding to the Hunt (Woodcut; second state of three (Hollstein))
Original title: Gentleman and Lady Riding to the Hunt
kurzbeschreibung
A finely dressed couple on horseback, with two dogs at their side, dominates Lucas Cranach the Elder's "Herr und Dame auf dem Weg zur Jagd" (Lord and Lady on the Way to the Hunt). The undated scene was made around 1500 and survives here in the second of three known print states. Courtly display meets a view of landscape stretching out behind the riders.
Description
A man in a striking hat, a staff in his hand, rides at the centre, a woman in sumptuous robes beside him. Two dogs trot along the ground beneath the horses. Trees, bushes and a castle fill the distance. A coat of arms appears at upper left, a monogram with the date 1500 at lower right. The layout has a balanced, almost symmetrical feel: the riders hold the middle ground while the landscape closes around them.
Context
Around 1500 Cranach was working in Vienna, building a reputation as a portraitist and printmaker. Hunting scenes and courtly subjects were popular across the Renaissance, since they underlined the social standing of those portrayed. The coat of arms and monogram point to an aristocratic patron, though the identity of that patron remains uncertain.
Impact
Symmetry and the delicate cutting of the woodcut give the sheet a calm, poised presence. Rich garments and the dogs in attendance produce a formal, almost ceremonial mood. Because the image is monochrome, attention settles on the details of the figures and the landscape rather than on colour.
Technique
Three states of the woodcut are recorded; this impression belongs to the second. In relief printing the drawing is cut into a wooden block, inked, and transferred to paper. Crisp contours and delicate internal work in the lines and shading carry Cranach's characteristic hand.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)