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

Head of a woman

1520
Brush in black and grey bodycolour, heightened with white, 324 x 228 mm
British Museum, London

The drawing shows the head of a woman, turned to front, her eyes closed, with hair tied back. The unusual technique of this drawing with its lavish use of grey bodycolour to give the effect of a grisaille painting was favoured by Dürer during the last decade of his life.