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Master MZ

The Ball

1500
Engraving on ivory laid paper
22 × 31.6 cm (8.7 × 12.4 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

In a large reception hall, elegantly dressed couples converse and dance to the music played by performers on an upper balcony. The two figures seated at a table are Albrecht IV of Bavaria and his wife Kunigunde of Austria, suggesting that this print depicts a specific festival that took place in Munich in 1500. While the depiction of three-dimensional space in the print is not convincing, the engraver’s attention to the details of the extravagant costumes successfully convey the courtly pageantry of the festive occasion.

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