Philip the Fair, Son of Maximilian

This image of Philip the Fair, son of Maximilian and Mary of Burgundy, is but one small part of Dürer’s most monumental project for Maximilian, a printed triumphal arch intended to be mounted on walls. In words and images, the Arch celebrated Maximilian’s virtues, ancestors, and descendants, while also including depictions of notable military victories. Philip’s portrait appeared near the summit of the Arch, directly below his father Maximilian.

The Arch, measuring almost 12 feet high by 10 feet wide, was printed from 192 different wood blocks on 36 large sheets of paper.

The scope of this project made it a team production. Jörg Kelderer, an artist and architect, created the framework, and Dürer oversaw its decorative elements, producing some himself—including this portrait of Philip. Members of Dürer’s workshop also created images for the Arch, including Wolf Traut, whose contribution is to your right. All the woodblocks were cut by Hieronymus Andreae. The Arch had a long heritage after Dürer’s death, with new impressions pulled from the original blocks into the 18th century.