The artwork titled “Portrait of Lazarus Ravensburger and the turrets of the court of Lier in Antwerp” is a piece crafted by Albrecht Dürer between 1520 and 1521. This pen drawing is a fine example of the Northern Renaissance art movement. The genre of the piece is portraiture, and it currently resides in the Kupferstichkabinett Berlin, located in Berlin, Germany.
The drawing depicts a man, presumably Lazarus Ravensburger, in three-quarter profile wearing a large hat and a fur-lined coat, giving an impression of his societal status or wealth. His facial expression is serious and contemplative, a common characteristic in portraiture of the period which aimed at conveying the sitter’s personality and demeanour. To his right, there is a finely drawn depiction of a tower, exhibiting great attention to architectural detail, suggesting an urban background and possibly a connection of the subject to the location. The intricate lines and careful hatching showcase Dürer’s mastery with the pen, conveying texture and depth with remarkable precision and subtlety. The contrasting sharpness of the portrait against the lightly sketched tower gives the artwork a unique composition and suggests a narrative connection between the character and the architectural background.
