Rhinoceros Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)

Rhinoceros is a woodcut print by Albrecht Dürer, created in 1515. The image depicts a rhinoceros with a heavily armored appearance, adorned with plates that resemble scales and a folded skin on its back, detailed with various patterns. The rhinoceros stands on a barren, earthy ground with a few small stones scattered in the foreground.
The subtexts of this artwork are multifaceted. Primarily, it represents the fascinating and somewhat terrifying encounter of Europeans with exotic animals from distant lands, as this was one of the first depictions of a rhinoceros to reach Europe. Dürer based his work on a written description and a sketch, rather than direct observation, leading to some inaccuracies in the anatomy. This highlights the early stages of global exploration and the dissemination of knowledge, where imagination and secondhand accounts played a significant role. The rhinoceros, with its formidable appearance, can also be interpreted as a symbol of brute strength, power, and the untamed forces of nature. The intricate detail and the somber, earthy tones contribute to a sense of awe and wonder, capturing both the exoticism and the raw power of the creature. The inscription 1515 RHINOCERVVS further solidifies its role as a record of this encounter and a scientific curiosity of its time.