The artwork “Rhinoceros” is a renowned woodcut created by Albrecht Dürer in the year 1515, during the Northern Renaissance. This piece is categorized under the genre of animal painting and is presently housed in the British Museum, located in London, UK. Dürer’s work is highly regarded for its detailed execution and historical significance, encapsulating the artistic spirit of its era.
The artwork displays a rhinoceros in profile view, poised with its head turned slightly toward the viewer. Dürer intricately renders the texture of the animal’s thick skin with an elaborate pattern of plates, rivets, and scales, imparting an armored appearance. Although the depiction is not entirely accurate by modern standards—due to the artist’s reliance on secondhand accounts and the lack of a personal encounter with the actual creature—it nonetheless exudes a sense of power and solidity. Above the rhinoceros, the woodcut features inscriptions, while the year “1515” prominently adorns the upper right corner, ensuring the historical context of the artwork is preserved. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, this woodcut stands as a testament to Dürer’s skill and the intellectual curiosity characteristic of the Northern Renaissance.
