Two squirrels

Albrecht Dürer rendered this Two Squirrels with the scientific precision that made this him the supreme master of Northern Renaissance naturalism. The watercolor captures every tuft of fur and curve of the bushy tails with notable accuracy.

Dürer pioneered the detailed study of nature, treating animals and plants as worthy subjects in themselves. His nature studies influenced natural history illustration for centuries. This work resides at the Albertina in Vienna, which holds the world's finest collection of Dürer's drawings and watercolors.