The First Knot
Original title: “The First Knot”. Interlaced Roundel with an Oblong Panel in its Center
kurzbeschreibung
Albrecht Dürer's woodcut "Der erste Knoten" from before 1521 stands apart from related ornamental prints by joining a circular medallion with an elongated inner field. The sheet belongs to a set of six knot patterns that Dürer made after Italian models.
Description
A large circle fills the image, crossed by a dense web of interlaced knots. At its center lies a rectangular zone enclosed by a triangle. Four stylized blossoms or tendrils sit on the outer ring and are woven into the pattern. The layout is strictly symmetrical. Black and white meet without shading or highlights.
Context
The knot prints were made around 1507 after Italian prototypes, which in turn go back to Oriental ornament. The series is dated before 1521 and documents Dürer's thorough engagement with the Italian Renaissance. Craftsmen likely used the woodcuts as models; at the same time, Dürer demonstrated his graphic skill with them.
Impact
The exact mirroring and delicate linework convey a calm, almost meditative mood. Anyone who delves into the branching tangle discovers remarkable manual precision.
Technique
The circular composition fills the sheet almost entirely, with the four stylized blossoms at the rim marking the outer boundary of the motif. Within this roundel, a rectangular panel framed by a triangle sits at the center, so that the interlace pattern radiates evenly in all directions. The even distribution of black lines against the white ground gives the ornament a balanced, self-contained presence on the page.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)