Knight, Death and the Devil Durer Engravings (1471-1528)

Description of Albrecht Dürer’s engraving "The Knight, Death, and the Devil"

"The Knight, Death and the Devil" is a medieval engraving by Dürer depicting a Christian knight riding through a narrow ravine. His horse struts proudly, carrying the rider with dignity and ease, despite the fact that the knight is chained in armor.

Under the horse’s hooves a dog is running, striving to keep up, the knight himself holds a spear on his shoulder and a sword in its scabbard at his hip, he looks only ahead without turning his head, though his unpleasant, fearsome companions are walking beside him.

Death, on an emaciated, pale horse, clutches an hourglass in his bony hand, reminding the knight that his earthly journey is not eternal. She is braided with snakes, she has no eyes, and the fact that she triumphs last seems an injustice. The devil walks behind, a spear on his shoulder, his face wretched, piggy, stretched out - he is like a beggar at someone else’s table. But as soon as the knight stumbles, he pounces on the fallen man and starts tearing him with his sharp pig’s fangs.

And at the bottom of the gorge there are skulls, bones, a lone lizard, a dagger that had fallen out of someone’s hand. All this was left over from previous knights who had faltered, who had failed to reign in their fear and to channel it forward. Whose armor of faith had cracked under the gaze of death.

The living knight knows no fear. He is protected by the presence of God behind him. As his body is clothed in armor that won’t let another blow through, so his soul is clothed in faith that can withstand any temptation. Despite the vague sense of danger that the picture inspires - will the knight escape safely, will he be able to resist the empty eyes of death? - I can only hope for the best.

The knight moves forward very confidently, and his horse, sensing the confidence of his master, does not increase his pace in vain. He walks slowly, majestically, not showing a bit of fear. Only the dog, keenly feeling how dangerous the master’s companions are, looks frightened and runs forward, almost overtaking the horse.