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The Young White King at the Butts

Leonhard Beck

1515

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Allegory

Dominant colour

The Young White King at the Butts 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 small group of people in a forest. Two men in the front are holding bows and arrows, aiming at something. Behind them, a woman stands with her arms raised, holding a long staff. The trees and bushes are drawn in sharp lines, and the scene looks like it’s split into two parts by a fence. The woman’s raised arms and the men’s focused stances suggest this isn’t just a regular hunting scene—it might be a symbol for something deeper. The way the artist used only black lines on a light background is key to how the image feels. Check out how this was made using the technique: woodcut.

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