Head of a Boy

The remarkable drawing, Head of a Boy, attributed to the German 16th Century master Albrecht Dürer, is a delicate figurative study characteristic of the late German Renaissance. Classified as a drawing, this work is expertly executed using brush and brown ink, supplemented by careful touches of graphite, and dramatically heightened with white on a striking blue prepared paper.

The technique employed here is highly sophisticated. The choice of the blue prepared ground, a practice popular among Northern European artists like Dürer, allows for a dramatic interplay of light and shadow. The application of white heightening is used strategically to define the curve of the skull and the contours of the young boy's face, creating remarkable three-dimensionality and suggesting a strong, focused light source. The precise application of brown ink with a brush creates soft transitions in the shading, contrasting with the structural lines laid down by the graphite. Such detailed preliminary drawings were crucial in the studios of masters during the period 1501 to 1550, serving either as preparatory sketches for larger paintings or as independent demonstration pieces.

While the drawing’s execution date (1550-1599) suggests it may have been completed by a skilled follower, the work clearly adheres to the conventions and profound technical standards established by the German artist during the first half of the 16th century. This influential piece provides essential insight into the graphic arts tradition of the German Renaissance. This study of a boy’s head is part of the distinguished collection at the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. As a cornerstone of historical European art, the accessibility of many Dürer-related prints and drawings through public domain resources further extends the legacy of this celebrated German master.