Artwork
The Two Elders Stoned by the People
The Two Elders Stoned by the People is an ink print by the Northern Renaissance artist Heinrich Aldegrever. It dates from 1555 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Heinrich Aldegrever, a German printmaker associated with the so‑called Little Masters, produced the etching The Two Elders Stoned by the People in 1555. Executed on a modest plate, the work presents a violent biblical episode in which a mob attacks two elderly figures, illustrating Aldegrever’s interest in compact narrative scenes.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a moment of collective aggression drawn from a scriptural story, showing two older men under assault by an angry crowd. One figure lies on the ground with his arms raised, while the other clings to a pillar, emphasizing vulnerability and the stark contrast between the persecuted and the hostile multitude.
Technique & Style
Aldegrever employed the etching process, incising fine, intersecting lines that convey the frantic energy of the scene. Overlapping strokes create a dense visual field, while sharp contours define the twisted faces and cramped space, reflecting the typical precision and intricacy characteristic of mid‑16th‑century German prints.
History & Provenance
Created in the generation following Albrecht Dürer, the work belongs to Aldegrever’s mature period when he focused on small‑scale religious narratives. Although specific ownership records are scarce, the print has been documented in several European collections of early modern graphic art, confirming its circulation among connoisseurs of the period.
Context
The etching emerges from a tradition of devotional imagery that sought to dramatize biblical martyrdom for moral instruction. Within the broader framework of the Reformation era, such graphic depictions served both as visual sermons and as demonstrations of the technical skill prized by the Little Masters, who specialized in detailed, portable prints.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Heinrich Aldegrever or Aldegraf (1502–1555, 1558 or 1561) 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.
