Central Europe, possibly Germany, 1530. Printed leaf (31.1 x 22.8 cm). Mounted.

A beautiful copy of a fine rendering of the famous Temptanion of Saint Anthony, after Martin Schongauer (d. 1491), with a monogram of Albrecht Dürer added. This work by Schongauer - perhaps his best - inspired many contemporary and later artists. The great Renaissance artist Michaelangelo even reproduced it in oil. The addition of Albrecht Dürer's monogram is, as often, just a 15th-16th century "quality sign". Indeed, the extraordinary craftmanship and evocative strength of this work certainly are on par with Dürer's best, but Dürer himself had nothing to do with it. Also, with a monogram AA and date 1530 [in mirror view, as is the image itself]. Monogramist AA is a late Gothic master who cannot be exactly determined, who only left his monogram on his work and to whom various works are attributed. AA possibly is the early 16th-entury Austrian artist Andre Astl: "Hans Ankwicz-Kleehoven und Karl Garzarolli-Thurnlackh bringen das Monogramm mit Andre Astl in Verbindung, dem Mitglied einer Welser Künstlerfamilie oder Werkstatt, zu der auch der Bildhauer Lienhart Astl gehörte. Die Malerei ist der Donauschule zuzurechnen" (Wikipedia DE). Hollstein does not include a monogramist AA among seven known copyists (lettered a to g, of which the last [monogramist A T] using the Dürer monogram too). Trimmed to plate border and caption, otherwise very good, clean. Hollstein, German Engravings, Etchings and Woodcuts 1400-1700 Vol. XLIX, pp. 130-133 (Schongauer's original version).