Young Hare

What it is

This watercolour and bodycolour painting was made by Albrecht Dürer in 1502 in his workshop in Nuremberg. It stayed with Dürer until his death, later passing through several owners before reaching the Albertina Museum in Vienna, where it remains.

Why it matters

The painting is considered a masterpiece of close observation of nature, showing Dürer's effort during these years to study animals and plants with scientific precision. Scholars have praised the illusion of real fur and the lifelike quality of the hare's eye. It was copied by many later artists, showing its lasting influence on how animals were painted in Western art.

Look closer

• What techniques might Dürer have used to make the fur look so real?
• Do you think Dürer worked from a live animal, a dead one, or both? Why?
• What does the reflection in the hare's eye suggest about where it was painted?