Twee ruiters in gevecht 1517 - 1518

'Twee ruiters in gevecht' or 'Two Riders Fighting' is a black and white drawing by Albrecht Dürer, whose lifetime spanned from 1471 to 1528. The drawing portrays a battle scene where one knight remains mounted while the other falls backward off his horse. Dürer lived during a time of immense social transformation, with shifts in power and the rise of humanism, all of which significantly influenced his work. Dürer was deeply concerned with representing the individual and the social dynamics of his time. What are we to make of this rather violent picture? Is it a reflection on the transience of power, or perhaps a commentary on social mobility? It seems to capture a moment where the established order is upended, disrupting the expected hierarchy between the riders. In this context, the fallen rider might symbolize the vulnerability that underlies even the most privileged positions.