Albrecht Dürer was born to a Hungarian goldsmith and his German wife. He was the third of eighteen children in a family of craftsmen in the prosperous free imperial city.

At just thirteen, Dürer drew his first self-portrait in silverpoint, showing remarkable artistic talent. This work survives as one of the earliest self-portraits in Western art.

Dürer began a three-year apprenticeship with Michael Wolgemut, the leading painter and woodcut artist in Nuremberg. He learned painting, woodcut design, and printmaking.

After completing his apprenticeship, Dürer embarked on his journeyman years, traveling through Germany to learn from other masters and broaden his artistic horizons.

Dürer married Agnes Frey, daughter of a prominent Nuremberg craftsman. Though the marriage was arranged, Agnes would manage his business affairs throughout his career.

Dürer traveled to Venice for the first time, studying Italian Renaissance art. He was deeply influenced by Giovanni Bellini and Italian theories of proportion and perspective.

Returning from Italy, Dürer opened his own workshop in Nuremberg. He began producing woodcuts and engravings that would revolutionize printmaking in Northern Europe.

Dürer published his revolutionary series of fifteen woodcuts illustrating the Book of Revelation. The dramatic imagery and technical mastery brought him international fame.

Dürer painted his famous frontal self-portrait with Christ-like imagery, a bold statement of the artist's elevated status. It remains one of art history's most iconic images.

Dürer created his famous watercolor study of a hare, demonstrating his extraordinary ability to observe and render nature with scientific precision and artistic beauty.

Dürer produced his masterful engraving of Adam and Eve, showcasing ideal human proportions based on Italian Renaissance theories. It became his most celebrated print.

Dürer returned to Venice, now as a celebrated master. He painted major works including the Feast of the Rose Garlands altarpiece for the German merchant community.

Dürer was appointed official artist to Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. He created numerous works glorifying the emperor, including the monumental Triumphal Arch woodcut.

Dürer engraved this masterpiece showing a Christian knight riding steadfastly past Death and the Devil. It became one of his three famous 'Master Engravings'.

Dürer produced his mysterious masterpiece depicting a brooding winged figure surrounded by tools and symbols. It has inspired centuries of interpretation and remains endlessly fascinating.

Based on written descriptions, Dürer created his famous woodcut of a rhinoceros. Despite inaccuracies, it became the definitive image of the animal for centuries.

Dürer traveled to the Netherlands to secure his pension from the new emperor Charles V. He was celebrated as a master, meeting Erasmus and other leading figures.

Dürer painted his final masterwork, the Four Apostles, presenting it to his home city. The monumental panels expressed his support for the Lutheran Reformation.

Dürer died in his hometown, leaving behind a vast body of work that transformed Northern European art. He elevated the status of artists and pioneered printmaking as a major art form.