description Standard Bearer Overview
Standard-Bearer for the Canton of Bern is a 1521 white-line woodcut by the Swiss artist Urs Graf I. The print shows an armored standard-bearer holding a flag marked with the bear of Bern, surrounded by ornamental foliage and strong, carefully controlled outlines. It belongs to Graf's series Standard-Bearers of the Swiss Confederacy and is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
help Standard Bearer FAQ
Who made Standard-Bearer for the Canton of Bern?
The woodcut was made by Swiss artist Urs Graf I. It dates from 1521 and shows an armored bearer carrying Bern’s bear flag.
What does the flag in Standard-Bearer represent?
The flag bears the heraldic bear of Bern, linking the print to the Swiss canton. The figure is surrounded by ornamental foliage and sharply controlled outlines.
What printmaking technique was used for Standard-Bearer?
It is a white-line woodcut, a technique in which parts of the design are created with pale incised lines against a dark printed field. Urs Graf was known for technically inventive drawings and prints.
Why is Urs Graf’s Standard-Bearer historically interesting?
The 1521 print combines military costume, regional heraldry, and decorative foliage in one image. It also records how Bern’s bear emblem appeared in early sixteenth-century Swiss print culture.
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