
by Albrecht Dürer, 1515
Dürer's Rhinoceros depicts an Indian rhinoceros that arrived in Lisbon in 1515, the first seen in Europe since Roman times. Albrecht Dürer never saw the animal himself, creating this woodcut from descriptions and a sketch sent from Portugal. The resulting image, while inaccurate in details, became the definitive rhinoceros image in Europe for centuries.
Dürer showed the rhinoceros with armor-like plates, a small horn on its shoulders, and scaly legs, none of which Indian rhinos actually have. Despite these errors, the image's power made it the accepted representation of rhinoceroses until live specimens became common in European zoos. The woodcut demonstrates how art could shape scientific understanding.
Impressions exist in many museums, including the British Museum.
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British Library, London, London
Raphael, 1510
British Library, London, London

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British Library, London, London

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Other masterpieces from the Northern Renaissance movement

Jan van Eyck, 1436
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Jan van Eyck, 1434
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Hugo van der Goes, 1475
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Jan van Eyck, 1432
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Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1526
Museo del Prado, Madrid, Madrid
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