Young Bull

The work Young Bull is a masterful drawing by Albrecht Dürer German, 1471–1528, executed in 1508. Classified as a rigorous study from nature, this piece utilizes precise applications of pen and black ink onto ivory laid paper. Dürer, the preeminent figure of the German Renaissance, was renowned for his commitment to scientific accuracy and the ability to render natural subjects with unflinching realism, traits evident in this classification of drawing.

The subject, a robust young bull, is depicted with meticulous crosshatching and contour lines that expertly define the animal’s sturdy musculature, texture, and stance. Unlike many of Dürer’s widely distributed religious or mythological pieces, this study highlights the artist’s deeply empirical approach to observation. Created during a highly active period for Dürer, the drawing reflects the wider European intellectual trend toward objective documentation, where artists sought to meticulously catalogue the natural world. This careful technique demonstrates why reproductions and prints of Dürer's animal studies remain essential references for aspiring artists, with many of his works having entered the public domain.

Dating to 1508, this small but technically brilliant work reveals Dürer’s complete mastery of ink handling, generating volume and depth purely through line work and careful shading. The overall quality of the rendering cemented the artist's legacy as the most influential graphic artist of his generation in Germany. This important drawing is maintained as part of the extensive collection of European works on paper held by the Art Institute of Chicago.