ALBRECHT

ALTDORFER (? 1480–1538)  , German painter and engraver, was born at Regensburg (Ratisbon), where in 15o5 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 Berlin museum . Albrecht's brother, Erhard Altdorfer, was also a painter and engraver, and a pupil of Lucas Cranach .