Who painted The Little Courier?

The Little Courier was painted by Albrecht Dürer in 1496.

Where can I see The Little Courier?

The Little Courier is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Little Courier?

The Little Courier is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of The Little Courier?

Museum-quality prints of The Little Courier are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Little Courier

Albrecht Dürer , 1496

The Little Courier is an ink print by the Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. It dates from 1496 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:in plate, bottom center: AD [artist's monogram]; verso, center, in graphite by a later hand: MH6 [?]; verso, lower center, in graphite by a later hand: P. 1818 8/1; verso, center left, in graphite by a later hand: 87; verso, lower left, in graphite by a later hand: B.80; verso, lower center, in graphite by a later hand: C.10034; verso, bottom right, in graphite by a later hand: 13; verso, bottom right, in graphite by a later hand: o/ [?]
Markings: Marked:none

About this work

Overview

Albrecht Dürer’s engraving The Little Courier, dated around 1496, is a black‑and‑white print executed on laid paper. The image is part of the National Gallery of Art’s collection in Washington, D.C. It presents a dramatic, narrative scene rendered entirely with line and tone, typical of Dürer’s early print work.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts a rider clinging to a rearing horse as they charge through a storm‑laden landscape. In the distance a town is ablaze, and a faint, spectral figure hovers above the turmoil. The title suggests the rider functions as a messenger, conveying urgency amid disaster, a theme often explored in late‑medieval visual storytelling.

Technique & Style

Dürer employed a burin to incise fine, intersecting lines that model the horse’s musculature and the rider’s garments, creating a convincing sense of volume. The use of cross‑hatching and stippling produces varied tonal values, allowing the artist to suggest texture, atmosphere, and depth within the constraints of a single‑color medium.

History & Provenance

Created near the end of Dürer’s apprenticeship, The Little Courier is among his early engravings that demonstrate his mastery of the medium. The print entered the National Gallery of Art’s holdings in the 20th century, where it remains on display as an example of Northern Renaissance printmaking and Dürer’s developing narrative skill.