Portrait of a Windisch farmer 1505

Sometime around 1503, Albrecht Durer created this portrait of a Windisch farmer using charcoal. The inherent qualities of charcoal—its soft, easily blendable nature—allowed Durer to achieve subtle gradations of light and shadow. Notice the soft blurring around the edges of the figure. This adds to the sense of volume in the face, giving it a lifelike, three-dimensional quality. Charcoal isn't a precious metal or a fine pigment, but a basic material: burnt wood. Durer elevates the status of his subject through his own artistry and his mastery of draughtsmanship. The artist's choice of medium also reflects a broader cultural context, in which the rise of printmaking and the increased availability of paper made drawing a more accessible and democratic art form. There's an inherent dignity to labor, and to the rendering of this face in such a humble medium. In Durer's hands, charcoal becomes a powerful tool for capturing the humanity and dignity of everyday life. It challenges the traditional hierarchy between fine art and craft.