A Young Hare

Review #1:

Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), a famous painter, printmaker and theorist during the Northern Renaissance in Germany, is known for his intricate and skilled woodcuts. His piece, A Young Hare (1502), has become one of his most well known images. 

This painting depicts a fluffy, furry rabbit posed in the center of the page. It is rendered quite realistically with special attention to detail in the fur, whiskers and features of the animal.  This piece is pleasant to look at since the rabbit is quite cute and realistic, and pops off the page.

Created with watercolor and gouache on paper, this piece is a nice example of Dürer’s technical skill. However, it is too simple a piece to be more than an exercise for the artist.  The rabbit simply sits on a blank background, and almost appears to be a diagraph for a textbook. In addition, since the rabbit floats in the center of the page, it is very calm with no movement or direction in the piece. Since Dürer has not even placed the rabbit in a setting or background, it is difficult to find much more meaning in the piece.

There is no narrative or interest to draw the viewer in further than the surface of the paper. Compared to Dürer’s other printmaking work, this piece is simply an exercise: a small sketch.

Review #2:

During the time of the Renaissance, portraits of animals were not widely accepted as high art. However, Albrecht Dürer’s painting of a rabbit goes beyond being simply a sketch. Dürer’s A Young Hare (1502) is an excellent example of the artist’s technical skill. The small painting, which was created with watercolor and gouache on paper, depicts a furry rabbit posing quietly. Dürer (1471-1528), a famous painter, printmaker and theorist during the Northern Renaissance in Germany, formed a great interest in animals throughout his life.

In this image, it is easy to see Dürer’s skill in creating a realistic representation of a creature. Not only are the proportions of the hare correct, but Dürer also used layers of watercolor and gouache to build up the depth and texture of the rabbit’s fur, resulting in a very lifelike piece. It is his attention to detail that makes the painting work well. Even of the smallest features are visible, from each strand of fur, to the whiskers and the reflection in the hare’s eye. It is genuinely nice to look at because the viewer is able to connect with the creature through Dürer’s use of realism.

The small and intimate painting (measuring only 25 cm by 23 cm) portrays a calm, natural feeling because of the warm browns and the central placement of the rabbit in the composition. Although calm, there is also life found in this portrait because Dürer has captured the moment between the rabbit posing and hopping away.

This small hare has become an iconic image from the artist for good reason. Dürer has captured the life of this animal in his painting.