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Standard-Bearer for the Canton of Bern

Urs Graf I

1521

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Allegory

Dominant colour

Standard-Bearer for the Canton of Bern is a 1521 ink by Urs Graf I, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Urs Graf I
When & what style?: 1521 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This image shows a black-and-white woodcut of a muscular man holding a flag with a lion on it. He’s wearing armor and looks like he’s marching forward, with one foot lifted. The flag has a coat of arms with a crown and the letter "B" on it. Below him, there’s a small tree and some wavy lines that might be water or grass. The word "BERN" is written in fancy letters at the bottom left, hinting this might be about a place or group. The lion on the flag is a symbol often used in heraldry, which is like a fancy family or city crest. If you like this style, look up woodcut next to see how artists carved these detailed images.