The Falconer and the Lady (c. 1495): Artwork and History

The Falconer and the Lady (c. 1495) is in the Art Institute of Chicago collection. The museum lists its creator attribution as Israhel van Meckenem the Younger German, c. 1440/45-1503.

The work and its context

The Art Institute of Chicago describes the work:

In the fifteenth century, prints were frequently published with conspicuously empty banderoles, blanks that viewers could complete by adding titles or fill in as early thought or speech bubbles. Israhel van Meckenem employed these winding, decorative banners to draw viewers into his coyly provocative Falconer and Lady and other images from his series of twelve secular couples involved in everyday activities, from church-going to playing music. These courtly lovers wear sumptuous clothing and participate in falconry, a popular hunting pastime of the wealthy. The hooded bird may symbolize the lovers’ cautious restraint.

Object facts

• Title: The Falconer and the Lady
• Date: c. 1495
• Artist attribution: Israhel van Meckenem the Younger German, c. 1440/45-1503
• Place of origin: Germany
• Medium: Engraving in black on cream laid paper
• Dimensions: 16.6 × 11.6 cm (6 9/16 × 4 5/8 in.)
• Type: Print
• Department: Prints and Drawings
• Reference number: 1956.848

Collection credit

Bequest of Mrs. Potter Palmer, Jr.

View the original

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The description above is credited to the Art Institute of Chicago and reused under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0; HTML formatting has been converted to plain text. Other catalogue metadata and the public-domain image are provided under CC0 1.0.