Male bird of paradise and the head of a middle-aged man in profile to the left; also details of 1520 - 1525

This delicate drawing by Hans Baldung, a prominent German Renaissance artist, depicts the profile of a middle-aged man and a male bird of paradise. The sketch, completed sometime between 1520 and 1525, demonstrates Baldung's adeptness at capturing the essence of his subjects through subtle lines and shading. The juxtaposition of the human and the exotic bird adds a touch of the fantastical to this otherwise realistic study. The drawing's small size and subtle execution hint at the artist's interest in exploring the nuances of form and expression. The artwork is currently housed in the SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst.