ALTDORFER, ALBRECHT (N 1480-1538), German painter and
engraver, was born at Regensburg (Ratisbon), where in 1505 he
was enrolled a burgher, and described as "twenty-five years
old." Soon afterwards he is known to have been prosperous,
and as city architect he erected fortifications and a public
slaughter-house. Altdorfer has been called the "Giorgione
of the North." His paintings are remarkable for minute and
careful finish, and for close study of nature. The most
important of them are to be found in the Pinakothek at Munich.
A representation of the battle of Arbela (1529), included in
that collection, is usually considered his chief work. His
engravings on wood and copper are very numerous, and rank next
to those of
Albrecht Durer. The most important collection is
at the Bedin museum. Albrecht's brother, Erhard Altdorfer, was
also a painter and engraver, and a pupil of Lucas Cranach.
This article is from the 1911 edition of an
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