Dürer, Knight Death and Devil

Dürer’s “Knight, Death and the Devil” shows the inherent evil in people, and the inevitability of death. A Knight astride a noble, powerful steed occupies immediate foreground of this engraving, as well as most of the space. Dürer strains to represent the knight realistically, to enforce his mortality and human flaws. The horse is more idealistic, with exaggerated musculature and heroic stance. They figures representing Death and the Devil are decidedly unrealistic; Dürer does not mean for them to be real figures like the Knight. There are many lines at play in this picture. The erect torso of the Knight crossing the body of the horse creates a perpendicular; other crosses are created between the lance and the sword. There are several triangular shapes as well: the harness on the horse, the space between the horse’s legs, and the tips of the mountains. All these intersecting lines convey a sense of the intersection of opposites. Dürer could be trying to day something about the intersection of good and evil, or the need to choose between good and evil. Dürer shows the inevitability of death by keeping the composition in stable motion, and not using extreme contrapposto to create a lot of motion. Despite being in close proximity to such frightening figures, the Knight and his steed are not fleeing from Death and the Devil. Even though the Knight has the means to run from or fight the grotesque figures along his path, instead he stares resolutely ahead, guiding his horse forward, with his sword safely sheathed. Through the figure’s inaction, Dürer conveys the idea that Death and the Devil are not foes that can be defeated. Death and the Devil are not immediately endangering the Knight; they stand behind the Knight and his steed in passive positions. While not active at the moment of the portrait, their imminence suggests approaching danger .