Young Man and Maids 1506

Erhard Altdorfer created this engraving, called 'Young Man and Maids', at some point in the 16th century. The image shows a well-dressed young man sitting with two women, one of whom is playing a stringed instrument, perhaps a lute. We can assume this scene depicts the leisure activities of relatively wealthy people in Northern Europe at the time. But what can we learn from Altdorfer's presentation of his subjects? The composition and detail of the figures' clothing may suggest that the artist was interested in conveying a sense of elegance and refinement. But we might also ask whether Altdorfer was subtly critiquing the social norms of his day. Are the figures too elaborately dressed? Is their leisure excessive? To answer these questions, we need to know more about the social and economic context in which the artwork was made, including what contemporary viewers would have thought of such a scene.