St. George on Foot

One of the most famous tales surrounding Saint George, an early Christian martyr, is the story of his having slain a dragon, thus symbolically conquering evil. Here Dürer shows the fallen dragon at Saint George's feet. The banner the saint holds, displaying a cross within a circle, is the emblem of the Order of Saint George. Emperor Maximilian I, one of Dürer's great patrons, was keenly interested in this royal order, which was founded by his father.