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Albrecht Altdorfer

Unknown 16th Century

1550

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Portrait

Dominant colour

Albrecht Altdorfer is a 1550 ink by Unknown 16th Century, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown 16th Century
When & what style?: 1550 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of a bearded man in a round frame. His hair and beard are thick, and he’s wearing a dark robe with a high collar. One hand rests on his chest, and his gaze is steady. The background is simple cross-hatching lines, giving it a textured look. The name "Albrecht Altdorfer" is written below, but this isn’t a painting—it’s an old print. The artist used fine lines to build up shadows, a trick called cross-hatching. Next, check out technique: engraving to see how artists like this made prints.