1536
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Large Dagger Sheath with Nude Couple is a 1536 ink by Heinrich Aldegrever, a Northern Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This drawing shows a tall, fancy dagger sheath covered in carved designs. At the top, there’s a wide, flat handle with a small spout on the side. Halfway down, two small nude figures stand back-to-back, holding hands. The rest of the sheath is packed with swirling leaves, flowers, and geometric shapes—all drawn with sharp, dark lines. The year 1536 is written in the corner, meaning this was made over 500 years ago. The artist used fine lines and shading to make the metal look real. If you like this style, check out engraving to see how artists create detailed prints like this.
Heinrich Aldegrever or Aldegraf was a German painter and engraver. He was one of the "Little Masters", the group of German artists making small old master prints in the generation after Albrecht Dürer.
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