Albrecht Dürer, one of the most important exponents of the German Renaissance and one of the most incisive intellectuals on the European scene, was born in Nuremberg by Albrecht Durer the Elder and Barbara Holper, exponent of a wealthy family of artisans.
Albrecht's artistic skills are so evident that his father decides to entrust him to the painter Michael Wolgemut, as soon as the boy is fifteen. It is one of the most interesting and important painters' workshops in Nuremberg, which takes care of the most important illustrations of printed books, obtained with the technique of woodcut.
Perhaps for this reason, or perhaps for economic necessity, the engraving techniques enter the life of the artist and never abandon him: Durer in fact considers engraving as an art form in itself, and develops and curates different themes and innovative, which lead him to be perhaps the best engraver of antique prints, together with Goya and Rembrandt.