Alliance Coat of Arms

German artist Albrecht Dürer painted this alliance coat of arms in 1490, creating the reverse side of his first portrait of his father. The work combines the family emblems of the Dürer and Holper families in a "speaking" coat of arms design. An open door on the left panel references the family name: "Dürer" derives from "Türer" (doormaker), a German translation of "Ajtó" (door) from the family's Hungarian origins near Gyula.

The oil on panel measures 47 by 39 centimeters. Unlike Dürer's religious works or portraits, this heraldic painting showcases his careful attention to fine decorative details. The Northern Renaissance artist would later become famous for his engravings and paintings, but this early work demonstrates his versatility.

The painting now hangs at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. A later woodcut version from 1523 depicts the same heraldic design. This remains one of Dürer's most atypical works, a timeless symbol of family lineage rather than a narrative or devotional image.