Altdorfer, Albrecht

(born c. 1480—died Feb. 12, 1538, Regensburg) German painter and printmaker. He was the leading artist of the Danube school. Most of his works depict religious subjects, but he was one of the first artists to develop landscape painting as an independent genre, specializing in sunset lighting and ruins in twilight. His drawings demonstrate these skills in black with white highlights on dark paper. The influence of Albrecht D is evident in his miniature engravings and woodcuts. From 1526 until his death he was town architect of Regensburg; no architectural work of his is known to have survived.

Find more information on Altdorfer, Albrecht. Upgrade to Britannica Online for more on Altdorfer, Albrecht.