Saints Nicholas, Ulrich and Erasmus
1505
Medium
Woodcut
Dimensions
sheet: 8 3/8 x 5 5/8 in. (21.2 x 14.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The George Khuner Collection, Gift of Mrs. George Khuner, 1975
Accession Number
1975.653.97
Tags
Art Historical Context
Albrecht Dürer, preeminent German artist of the Northern Renaissance, created *Saints Nicholas, Ulrich and Erasmus* in 5 as a finely detailed woodcut print. Measuring just 8 3/8 x 5 5/8 inches, this intimate work exemplifies Dürer's revolutionary approach to printmaking, transforming the humble woodcut—a medium typically used for inexpensive book illustrations—into a vehicle for high art. By meticulously carving intricate lines into wooden blocks, Dürer remarkable depth, texture, and lifelike expressions, rivaling his famous engravings. The print depicts three revered male saints: Nicholas, t...
About the Artist
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 ...