Where can I see Dürer's Self-Portrait at Age 13?

This silverpoint drawing belongs to the Albertina in Vienna, Austria. The museum holds one of the world's greatest collections of drawings, including several works by Dürer.

How old was Dürer when he made this drawing?

Dürer was just thirteen years old in 1484 when he created this self-portrait. The notable skill displayed at such a young age marks it as one of art history's most precocious works.

Silverpoint uses a silver stylus to draw on specially prepared paper. The medium allows no erasure or correction, making every mark permanent. Dürer's confident linework at age thirteen demonstrates extraordinary skill in this demanding technique.

Why is this drawing historically significant?

This is the earliest known self-portrait by any artist who would achieve major historical importance. It documents the beginning of Dürer's lifelong practice of self-representation and the modern tradition of artistic self-examination.

Where Is Self-Portrait with a wrap? Museum Location

Albrecht Dürer created the silverpoint self-portrait in 1484 when he was just thirteen years old. The drawing shows the young artist in three-quarter view, wearing a cap and wrapped garment, his right hand pointing toward himself in a gesture that may indicate the difficulty of drawing with a mirror. The notable skill displayed at such a young age marks it as one of art history's most precocious works.

Silverpoint is an unforgiving medium. The metal stylus leaves permanent marks on specially prepared paper, allowing no erasure or correction. That a thirteen-year-old could produce such confident, accurate linework speaks to extraordinary natural talent combined with rigorous training in his father's goldsmith workshop. Dürer later added an inscription identifying the drawing as his own work from childhood, recognizing its significance to his artistic development.

This is the earliest known self-portrait by any artist who would go on to major historical importance. While medieval artists occasionally included themselves in larger compositions, the independent self-portrait as a genre barely existed before Dürer. The drawing now belongs to the Albertina in Vienna, where it represents the origins of both Dürer's career and the modern tradition of artistic self-examination.