Willibald Pirckheimer (1470-1530)

About this artwork

signature and date (): ‘Belibaldi MDXXIV AD’

Art Historical Context

This intimate portrait by Albrecht Dürer depicts Willibald Pirckheimer, the influential Nuremberg humanist, jurist, and close friend of the artist. Painted in oil on a small wooden panel measuring just 18 by 12 centimeters, the work captures the scholar’s dignified presence with remarkable precision. The panel bears Dürer’s monogram and the date 1524, confirming its creation during the artist’s mature period. Dürer, a leading figure of the Northern Renaissance, brought extraordinary observational skill to portraiture. Here, the compact format suggests a personal keepsake, likely intended for ...

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 ...