Death of Orpheus 1498

Albrecht Durer made this drawing, ‘Death of Orpheus’, with pen and ink on paper. It represents a pivotal moment in art history, where printmaking began to be seen as an original art form, not just a means of reproduction. Durer was a virtuoso draughtsman, and the graphic quality of the ink lines has a compelling immediacy. The density of the marks create shadow and volume, giving the scene its dramatic weight. Durer had a keen interest in classical mythology, a subject matter that was becoming increasingly popular during the Renaissance. The act of drawing itself was central to artistic practice during the Renaissance, serving as both a means of exploration and a way to refine ideas, yet Durer’s intricate rendering shows that drawing itself can be a final product. This demonstrates an intellectual shift, positioning the artist as an inventor, a creator of worlds, not just a skilled hand.