Unfalo Causing Theuerdanck to Fall into a Trap during a Hunt, from Theuerdanck

Art Historical Context

In the grand tradition of Renaissance patronage, Hans Schäufelein 1517 woodcutUnfalo Causinguerdanck to Fall a Trap during a Hunt comes from *Der Theuerdanck an epic poem commissioned by Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I This allegorical tale chronicles the emperor’s heroic courtship of Mary of Burgundy through perilous adventures, with Theuerdanck as Maximilian’s chivalric alter ego. Here, the companion Unfalo unwittingly leads the protagonist into a hunter’s snare amid a forested chase, blending humor, peril, and moral lessons on loyalty and fate—hallmarks of early 16th-century German courtly literature. Schäufelein, a Nuremberg artist trained in Albrecht Dürer’s workshop, exemplifies the Northern Renaissance mastery of woodcuts. This intricate print, measuring 14½ × 9⅞ inches, showcases fine-line carving techniques that capture dynamic motion, textured foliage, and expressive figures, allowing for affordable reproduction in lavish illustrated books. Woodcuts like this democratized art, spreading imperial propaganda across Europe. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Drawings and Prints department (Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1932), the work highlights Maximilian’s posthumous legacy-building efforts. It invites visitors to ponder how art glorified rulers while entertaining with vivid storytelling, a cultural bridge between medieval chivalry and Renaissance humanism.

About the Artist

Hans Schäufelein · 1480–1540

Hans Schäufelein (c. 1480–c. 1540) was a German painter and graphic artist of the Northern Renaissance whose career placed him at the heart of one of the most dynamic artistic environments in European history. As a young man, he entered the workshop of Albrecht Dürer in Nuremberg, an experience that proved decisive: Dürer's meticulous approach to draughtsmanship, his mastery of printmaking, and hi...