Allegory of the Meeting of Pope Paul II and Emperor Frederick III c. 1470

This anonymous woodcut from around 1470 depicts an allegorical meeting between Pope Paul II and Emperor Frederick III. The figures stand atop a ship, a symbol of the Church, navigating the turbulent waters of the world. The inscription "Imperatrix Fridericus" suggests an allegorical marriage of the two figures, representing the alliance between the Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire. This image would have been significant for its contemporary audience as a visual representation of the complex political and religious landscape of the time. The work exhibits typical features of 15th century German woodcut, with its bold outlines and use of bright, flat colors.