Artwork
Portrait of Albrecht Dürer, at the age of 26
Portrait of Albrecht Dürer, at the age of 26 is a print by the Baroque artist Wenceslaus Hollar. It dates from 1645 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Wenceslaus Hollar’s 1645 engraving presents a youthful Albrecht Dürer, aged twenty‑six, rendered in fine black‑and‑white line work. The portrait shows the German artist seated, his long curly hair and beard framing a solemn gaze, while a modest landscape sketch occupies a corner of the composition. The piece belongs to the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The image serves as a homage to Dürer, emphasizing his early stature as a leading figure of the Northern Renaissance. By portraying him at a formative age, Hollar underscores the artist’s emerging talent and the intellectual seriousness that would later define Dürer’s oeuvre.
Technique & Style
Hollar employed meticulous incising to produce a network of fine lines that generate deep shadows and a subtle three‑dimensionality, especially across the face and draped cloth. The chiaroscuro effect, achieved through varying line density, creates a dramatic contrast between illuminated planes and darker recesses, while Latin inscriptions border the image.
History & Provenance
Born in Prague in 1607, Hollar spent much of his career in England, gaining reputation for cityscapes and landscapes before turning to portraiture. He completed this engraving in 1645, several decades after Dürer’s death, reflecting a continued interest in earlier masters. The work entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings in the 20th century.
Artist & collection
Artist
Wenceslaus Hollar (Czech: Václav Hollar (Czech pronunciation: ), German: Wenzel Hollar; 23 July 1607 – 25 March 1677) was a Czech engraver, etcher and painter.
