Considered the finest German Renaissance artist, Albrecht Dürer was a painter, printmaker, draughtsman and art theorist. Artists across Europe admired and copied Dürer's innovative and powerful prints, ranging from religious and mythological scenes, to maps and exotic animals. Dürer was exceptionally learned, and the only Northern artist who fully absorbed the sophisticated Italian dialogue between scientific theory and art, producing his own treatise on proportion in 1528.
I have been fortunate enough to see some of Dürer's prints in person. The detail and lines are superb. I respond to his excellent technique and his ability to portray emotion and drama. I am influenced by his use of high contrast, keen observation, narrative quality and attention to texture and detail. In addition to his portraits, I love his studies of hands (shown below).
