St. George and the Dragon

painting by Altdorfer

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July 13, 2026

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The legend of Saint George slaying a dragon is a well-known tale, often depicted in art. Tradition holds that Saint George, a Christian martyr from the 3rd century, rescued a Libyan king's daughter from a dragon and killed it, leading the king's subjects to be baptized. This story is thought to be a Christian adaptation of the Greek myth of Perseus and Andromeda.12

Albrecht Altdorfer's 1510 painting, "St. George and the Dragon," is notable for its emphasis on the primeval forest setting, almost overwhelming the knight. Altdorfer was a pioneer of landscape painting, creating some of the first pure landscapes since antiquity. The legend of St. George, including his dragon-slaying feat, became popular during the Middle Ages and is a recurring theme in art, with the saint often portrayed as a knight in armor bearing a scarlet cross.312

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Albrecht Altdorfer
…preoccupation with landscape, until in “St. George and the Dragon” (1510) the knight is practically overwhelmed by the primeval forest in which he performs his feat. With the “Regensburg Landscape” (c. 1522–25) and other works, Altdorfer painted the first pure landscapes—i.e., landscape scenes containing no human figures whatsoever—since antiquity. His…
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…preoccupation with landscape, until in “St. George and the Dragon” (1510) the knight is practically overwhelmed by the primeval forest in which he performs his feat. With the “Regensburg Landscape” (c. 1522–25) and other works, Altdorfer painted the first pure landscapes—i.e., landscape scenes containing no human figures whatsoever—since antiquity. His…
Read More