Aldegrever, Heinrich

(1502 - 1538)

Heinrich Aldegrever or Aldegraf (1502-1538), German painter and engraver, was born at Paderborn, from which he moved in early life to Soest, where he died.

From the close resemblance of his style to that of Albrecht Dürer he has sometimes been called the "Albert of Westphalia".

His numerous engravings, chiefly from his own designs, are delicate and minute, though somewhat hard in style, and entitle him to a place in the front rank of the so-called "Little Masters."

There is a good collection in the British Museum. Specimens of his painting are exceedingly rare. Five pictures are in continental galleries, but the genuineness of the works in the Vienna and Munich collections attributed to him is at least doubtful, the only unchallenged example being a portrait of Engelbert Therlaen (1551) in the Berlin Museum.