48 ALBRECHT ALTDORFER Altdorfer was the leading figure in the so­called Danube school. This designation German, circa 1482/85­1538 refers to a group of artists working near and along the Danube, from Regensburg to Christ Carrying the Cross Vienna, whose imagery features alpine landscapes and emotion­charged religious and Pen and black ink, gray wash, mythological subjects. The present drawing is Altdorfer's only surviving design for and black chalk a stained­glass window. Diam. 30.4 cm (11 15/16 in.) Cat. II, no. 113; 86.GG.465 Altdorfer often heightened the dramatic impact of a scene by showing it from an unusual vantage point, as is the case here. The fallen Christ is seen from the rear, with emphasis placed on his bent left leg, the exposure of the soles of his feet, and his haggard profile. The violence and energy of the scene are further conveyed by crowding the figures parallel to the picture plane and by the dynamic, unpredictably varied pen work. Stylistic comparisons with other works by Altdorfer suggest a dating of around 1515 or perhaps a few years before. GERMAN AND SWISS SCHOOLS 61