Saint George 1485 - 1528

This is Albrecht Durer's "Saint George", a miniature woodcut artwork, now held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its black lines carve out a scene of intense drama. Saint George, sword raised, dominates the composition as he defeats the dragon, a narrative rendered with remarkable detail despite the artwork’s tiny scale. The composition is structured around dynamic diagonals, from the saint's lance to the dragon's writhing body, creating a sense of movement and conflict. Durer masterfully uses hatching to define form and texture. Notice how he builds volume and depth solely through varying the density and direction of the lines. The background, with its castle and curious onlookers, adds another layer to this complexly organised scene. The extreme miniaturization itself becomes a commentary on the power of art to convey epic tales within confined spaces. Durer uses form and structure to explore narrative, space, and representation.