Head of a Young Woman

The Head of a Young Woman is a masterful drawing created by Albrecht Dürer in 1522. Executed using black chalk and delicate highlights of white chalk on green prepared paper, the work showcases Dürer’s unparalleled precision in rendering human form during the final years of his career. Although the white chalk highlights are now somewhat abraded, the carefully constructed contours of the young woman’s face, hairstyle, and drapery remain sharply visible. This characteristic preparation of the paper, intended to provide a middle tonal ground for the subsequent application of light and shadow, suggests the intensive study required for the composition of the head, which may have served as a reference for a larger painting or print.

The subject, a focused study of a single head of a woman, reflects the Northern Renaissance interest in capturing individual physiognomy and emotional depth. Dürer was known for the meticulous detail applied to all his portrait and figure studies, and this drawing is an important example of his technical mastery in chalk mediums. Created shortly before the artist’s death, the piece demonstrates Dürer’s mature style, emphasizing controlled line and subtle modeling over the strong theatrical contrasts sometimes found in earlier periods.

This exceptional drawing belongs to the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it serves as a key representation of early sixteenth-century European draftsmanship. Given its significance and historical date, high-resolution images of the artwork are often made available through museum initiatives, allowing the piece to enter the realm of the public domain. This accessibility enables scholars and enthusiasts worldwide to study detailed prints and reproductions of the work.