The Little Courier

About this work

This black-and-white print shows a man riding a wild horse through a stormy landscape. The horse rears up, muscles tense, while the rider clings on, one hand gripping a staff. In the background, a town burns and a ghostly figure floats above the chaos. The artist used fine lines to show texture—notice how the horse’s fur and the rider’s clothes look almost three-dimensional. This is a story, not just a scene: the rider might be a messenger (that’s what the title means). Try looking up engraving to see how artists like Dürer made such sharp details with just a burin and ink.