The Emperor Maxentius Ordering the Burning of the Fifty Wise Men...

Art Historical Context

Albrecht Altdorfer’s dynamic drawing captures a dramatic moment of persecution from early Christian legend: the Roman Emperor Maxentius ordering the execution of fifty wise men who failed to refute Saint Catherine of Alexandria. Created between 1500 and 1538, the small sheet conveys intense emotion through tightly grouped figures and expressive gestures, reflecting the Northern Renaissance interest in moral and religious narratives. Altdorfer, a leading member of the Danube School, was renowned for his innovative use of landscape and light. Here, he employs pen and brown ink with wash over black chalk to create rich tonal contrasts and a sense of depth within the compact 6 5/8 by 6 5/16 inch format. The fluid lines and delicate shading heighten the tension of the scene, transforming a historical subject into a vivid exploration of power and suffering. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2003, this rare preparatory study reveals Altdorfer’s masterful draftsmanship and his ability to distill complex stories into emotionally resonant images. The work invites viewers to reflect on themes of authority, faith, and human endurance that resonated strongly in the turbulent religious climate of sixteenth-century Europe.

About the Artist

Albrecht Altdorfer · 1475–1538

Albrecht Altdorfer (c. 1480–1538) was a German painter, printmaker, and draftsman who stands as one of the founders of landscape painting as an independent genre. Born in Regensburg or nearby Altdorf, he learned art from his father Ulrich, a painter and miniaturist. Altdorfer spent most of his life in Regensburg, becoming a citizen in 1505 and later serving as the city's official architect and a m...