Swiss War, plate 16 from Historical Scenes from the Life of Emperor Maximilian I from the Triumphal Arch c. 1515 - 1520

"Swiss War, plate 16 from Historical Scenes from the Life of Emperor Maximilian I from the Triumphal Arch," is a woodcut by Wolf Traut, dating from c. 1515-1520. The image depicts a scene from the Swiss War, a conflict between the Swiss Confederacy and the Holy Roman Empire. The work captures the moment when Emperor Maximilian I, represented by his coat of arms, arrives with his army to aid the Swiss in their fight against the French. The detail of the soldiers' armor and the landscape with the mountain range in the background reveals the artist's skilled use of the woodcut technique. The print, now part of The Art Institute of Chicago's collection, offers a glimpse into the political and military events of the early 16th century and the impact of Maximilian I's reign.