DÜRER, Albrecht
(b. 1471, Nürnberg, d. 1528, Nürnberg)

Willibald Pirckheimer

1503
Charcoal drawing, 282 x 208 mm
Staatliche Museen, Berlin

In the portrait drawing of Willibald Pirckheimer, seen in profile looking to the left, Dürer was making use of a silver point drawing and "refined his friend's features without flattering him," as Panofsky stated. The famous humanist was a close friend and intimate of Dürer's. It is possible that Dürer was stimulated to produce this profile portrait by ancient imperial coins, though it is also possible that the drawing was used as a pattern by a medal maker.




© Web Gallery of Art, created by Emil Krén and Daniel Marx.