Aldegrever's intricately executed narrative of Two Elders before the Judge is a powerful and complex scene. The intimate scale of this work entices the viewer to examine the image with an "up-close" viewpoint. Full of detailed line work, this piece illustrates Aldegrever's skill in creating both emotional and compositional complexities.

Created in 1555, Heinrich Aldegrever engraving Two Elders before the Judge is printed on a fine laid paper and monogrammed in the plate 'AG 1555' in the lower left. This piece contains the Fool's Cap watermark, also referred to as the Jester with Seven Point Collar. A wonderfully saturated impression, the black lines remain bold and strong. There has been minor conservation to the extreme upper right corner that does not disrupt the image.

Aldegrever was part of the group with the group known as "The Little Masters". As the title indicates, The Little Masters were interested in created complex images on small and micro scales, which range in size from that of a postage stamp to a large playing card. These small works were a wildly desirable commodity sought by the urban elite and educated merchants of Renaissance Germany. The proliferation of works by the "Little Masters" coincided with the rise and demand for Kunstkammers, which is German for display case. These cases, which took their place in Renaissance German households, functioned just as our modern shadow boxes do, displaying the collector's interests and knowledge. Two Elders before the Judge is a particularly magnificent piece because it includes multiple layers of movement and action on a very small scale. This is a marvelous piece, and a very special addition to any serious collection of Old Master prints, "Little Masters" prints, and Aldegrever collections.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:

Heinrich Aldegrever engraving Two Elders before the Judge is fully documented and referenced in (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that I will enclose with the sale of the work) :

1) Bartsch 31, (unfortunately we do not presently own a copy of this publication and will not be able to include a copy) .

2) A Masterworks Certificate of Authenticity will be included with the sale of this work.

About the Framing:

Conservation framed with archival materials and museum quality, this work is float mounted on cream linen in a robust Spanish style frame. The brilliant gold and contrasting black of the moulding accentuates the rich black tones in this piece. The sculptural detailed undulating forms compliment the natural lines and forms in this work. Completed with cream linen wrapped mattes and a matching gold inner fillet, this work is set behind an archival Plexiglas cover.