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A Legation before a King, near Him Two Women Standing

Leonhard Beck

1515

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance

Dominant colour

A Legation before a King, near Him Two Women Standing is a 1515 ink by Leonhard Beck, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Leonhard Beck
When & what style?: 1515 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This woodcut shows a group of people in a grand room with tall columns and patterned floors. At the center, a king sits on a raised chair, holding a scepter. Two women stand close to him, one holding a child. Around them, other figures kneel or stand, some with staffs or books. The scene looks formal and important, with lots of detail in the clothing and architecture. The artist used sharp lines and shadows to create depth, typical of woodcut prints. This style was common in the Renaissance, when artists experimented with new ways to make images. Next, look up woodcut to see how this technique works.

About the artist

Artist

Leonhard Beck

Leonhard Beck (c. 1480 – 1542) was a painter and woodcuts designer in Augsburg, Germany. He was the son of Georg Beck, a miniaturist who was active in Augsburg c. 1490–1512/15. Leonhard collaborated with his father on…

See the richer artist page