From the artist's life
Dürer painted himself face-on in a Christ-like 1500 self-portrait — a bold claim for the artist as a god-given creator.
Source: Wikipedia / WikimediaRenaissance
Albrecht Dürer
Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528) was the genius of the German Renaissance and the greatest printmaker of his age. He fused Italian theory with Northern precision and raised the woodcut and engraving into high art.
Dürer's prints spread across Europe, making him the first truly international art celebrity and a model of the learned artist.
- Raised woodcut and engraving — Melencolia I, Knight, Death and the Devil — to the level of painting.
- Wrote treatises on proportion and perspective, blending art with science.
- Drew a rhinoceros he had never seen; the image was copied for 300 years.
Key works
Where to start
Complete list of key works
Works with a dedicated ArtAtlas page are highlighted in gold.
- Adam and EveOn ArtAtlas
- The RhinocerosListed for reference
- Self-Portrait with Fur-Trimmed RobeListed for reference
- Melencolia IListed for reference
- The Four ApostlesListed for reference
- Adoration of the MagiListed for reference
- Knight, Death, and the DevilListed for reference
- Feast of the RosaryListed for reference
- St. Jerome in His StudyListed for reference
- Praying HandsListed for reference
1507
Adam and Eve
Dürer created two large-scale painted versions of Adam and Eve in 1507 — one panel for each figure — making them the first monumental nudes in Northern European painting, which was genuinely shocking for audiences north of the Alps.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to what people most often search about this artist.
When did Albrecht Dürer live?
Albrecht Dürer was born in Nuremberg in 1471 and died in 1528. He became the leading artist of the German Renaissance and the greatest printmaker of his age.
What is Albrecht Dürer famous for?
He raised woodcut and engraving to the level of high art and fused Italian perspective theory with Northern precision of detail.
What is Dürer's most famous work?
Key works include the 1504 engraving Adam and Eve and his 1500 self-portrait, in which he painted himself face-on like Christ.
Why is Dürer's 1500 self-portrait so unusual?
By painting himself strictly face-on — a pose previously reserved for Christ — Dürer declared the artist a god-given creator rather than a mere craftsman.