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Siege of a Fortress

Albrecht Dürer

1527

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Renaissance Renaissance History Painting

Dominant colour

Siege of a Fortress is a 1527 by Albrecht Dürer, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Albrecht Dürer
When & what style?: 1527 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This drawing shows a busy battle scene with soldiers, cannons, and a big fortress under attack. The left side has a castle with towers and a moat, while the right side shows fields, trees, and more troops. Tiny figures march, fight, and set up camp—every detail is carefully sketched in black and white. Look closer at the fortress walls: the artist drew tiny cracks and shadows to show depth, almost like a 3D map. This was a way to make flat paper look real. Next, check out how Albrecht Dürer used chiaroscuro.