Bittern's Wings: study showing both sides
Medium
Watercolor on vellum
Dimensions
4 1/2 x 5 1/8 in. (11.5 x 13.0 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1919
Accession Number
19.184
About this artwork
Albrecht Dürer|Albrecht Dürer's "Bittern's Wings: study showing both sides" (1515) The work, executed in watercolor on vellum, measures 4 1/2 x 5 1/8 in. and Prints served crucial roles in disseminating artistic ideas and images across geographic and social boundaries. This work provides valuable insights into Albrecht Dürer|Albrecht Dürer's artistic practice and the broader cultural and material contexts of its creation.
Art Historical Context
Albrecht Dürer’s *Bittern’s Wings: study showing both sides* (1515) is a remarkable example of the artist’s lifelong fascination with the natural world. Created in watercolor on vellum, this small yet meticulously observed drawing captures the delicate structure and subtle coloration of a bittern’s wings from both front and reverse views. Dürer, a leading figure of the Northern Renaissance, approached such studies with scientific precision, using fine brushwork to record every feather barb and vein. The choice of vellum as a support allowed for luminous color and exceptional detail, qualities...
About the Artist
Albrecht Dürer|Albrecht Dürer · 1471–1528
Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528) stands as the preeminent figure of the Northern Renaissance and arguably the most influential artist in the history of printmaking. Born in Nuremberg on May 21, 1471, and dying in the same city on April 6, 1528, Dürer revolutionized the status of the artist in Northern Europe, transforming printmaking from a commercial craft into an independent fine art and establishing ...