Who painted Bildnis des Albrecht Dürer d.Ä.?

Bildnis des Albrecht Dürer d.Ä. was painted by Unknown in 1497.

Where can I see Bildnis des Albrecht Dürer d.Ä.?

Bildnis des Albrecht Dürer d.Ä. is held by Bamberg State Library.

Artwork

Bildnis des Albrecht Dürer d.Ä.

Bildnis des Albrecht Dürer d.Ä. is a drawing by Unknown. It dates from 1497 and is held in the collection of the Bamberg State Library. The image is an oval portrait of Albrecht Dürer’s father, a goldsmith who lived from 1427 to 1502.

About this work

Overview

The image is an oval portrait of Albrecht Dürer’s father, a goldsmith who lived from 1427 to 1502. It presents the sitter with a steady, direct gaze toward the viewer. The work is a copper engraving that reproduces an earlier painted likeness made by the younger Dürer, and it appears in Joachim von Sandrart’s 1675 illustrated volume, the Teutsche Academie.

Subject & Meaning

The portrait captures the elder Dürer as a craftsman, emphasizing his professional identity through the inclusion of gold‑smithing attributes. The compositional focus on the face and the unflinching stare convey a sense of dignity and personal presence, reflecting the respect afforded to the father of one of Germany’s most celebrated artists.

Technique & Style

Executed as a copper engraving, the image relies on fine stippling and line work to render tonal variation and texture within the oval frame. The engraving translates the painterly qualities of Dürer’s original portrait into a reproducible print, preserving the delicate modeling of facial features while adapting them to the metal medium.

History & Provenance

The engraving was incorporated into Sandrart’s Teutsche Academie and later entered the Royal Library’s collection in 1849 as part of the Heller estate, catalogued today as JH.Art.f.2 in the Staatsarchiv Bamberg. It is listed alongside five other artist portraits, including the State Library Bamberg’s I K 58.

Context

The portrait belongs to a broader 19th‑century effort to document the visual legacy of Albrecht Dürer. In 1827, Heller’s Dürer publication grouped this engraving under the heading “Nach Dürer’s paintings and drawings made leaves,” indicating its role as a derivative work intended to disseminate Dürer’s familial imagery.