The Marriage of Maximilian I and Mary of Burgundy - Albrecht Dürer
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
Secure checkout
Made to order
Description
A detailed woodcut by Albrecht Dürer depicting the marriage of Maximilian I and Mary of Burgundy, featuring heraldic symbols and period attire.
This woodcut depicts the union of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, and Mary of Burgundy. The composition presents the couple in a formal, heraldic arrangement, reflecting the political significance of their marriage in 1477. Maximilian stands in full armour, while Mary is dressed in contemporary court attire. Between them, they hold a shield displaying their combined coats of arms, a visual device used to legitimise their dynastic alliance. A larger, separate shield rests on the floor to the left, further emphasising the weight of their respective lineages.
The print is executed with the precise line work characteristic of Dürer's workshop. The figures are set against a backdrop of a patterned textile, which provides a sense of interior space despite the relatively flat perspective. The floor is rendered in a simple checkerboard pattern, a common technique in early sixteenth-century printmaking to suggest depth. The hand-applied colour adds a layer of warmth to the monochrome woodcut, drawing attention to the heraldic details and the textures of the garments.
Below the figures, a block of German text provides a narrative context for the scene. This inclusion of text is typical of broadsheets and commemorative prints of the period, which functioned as both art and historical record. The work serves as a document of the Habsburg expansion and the strategic use of marriage to consolidate power across Europe. Dürer's ability to balance the rigid requirements of heraldry with the human form is evident here, as is his mastery of the woodcut medium. The print offers a glimpse into the visual culture of the Renaissance court, where art was frequently employed to communicate authority and historical continuity to a wider audience.
Return policy
Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
Shipping
We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
The Marriage of Maximilian I and Mary of Burgundy - Albrecht Dürer
Artist Biography
Albrecht Durer
He was born in Nuremberg, the son of a Hungarian goldsmith. He trained as a goldsmith himself before apprenticing with the painter and printmaker Michael Wolgemut. The metalwork training gave him the manual precision that made his prints extraordinary. Melencolia I, Knight, Death and the Devil, and Saint Jerome in His Study, all made between 1513 and 1514, are among the finest engravings ever produced. The density of cross-hatching, the control of tonal gradation, the rendering of fur, feathers, and stone: these are virtuoso performances in a medium that most artists treated as reproductive.
He drew a rhinoceros from a description and a sketch sent by letter. He had never seen one. Dürer's Rhinoceros (1515) is anatomically wrong in several respects (the animal has an extra horn and armour plating) but it remained the standard European image of a rhinoceros for three centuries.
He was one of the first artists to paint self-portraits as a primary subject. The Self-Portrait at Twenty-Eight (1500) shows him facing the viewer directly, with long hair and a fur coat, in a pose traditionally reserved for Christ. It was either an act of supreme confidence or deliberate blasphemy. Probably both.
Why Choose Us ?
Damage-free delivery guarantee
Fast Shipping
Museum-Quality Materials
You May Also Like