Young Bull
Albrecht Dürer, c. 1496, erroneously inscribed in another hand 1508
About this artwork
Albrecht Dürer's *Young Bull*, created around 1496, exemplifies the artist's early mastery of naturalistic observation during his formative years in Nuremberg. At just 25, Dürer was already traveling through Europe, honing his skills in capturing the living world with unprecedented precision. This pen and black ink drawing on ivory laid paper measures a modest 17.5 × 14 cm, yet its intimate scale invites close inspection, revealing the bull's textured hide, alert posture, and muscular form rendered with fluid, economical lines. Dürer's Northern Renaissance style shines here through his meticulous technique, blending German precision with Italian influences from his recent journeys. The drawing likely served as a study from life, a practice central to his innovative approach that bridged art and science—foreshadowing masterpieces like his famous *Young Hare* (1502). Notably, a later hand erroneously inscribed "1508" on the sheet, a common occurrence with such works that underscores their enduring value. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings Department, *Young Bull* highlights Dürer's role in elevating drawing from preparatory sketch to autonomous artwork, influencing generations of artists in their pursuit of realism and detail.