A polymath of the German Renaissance, (1471–1528) was a prolific artist, theorist, and writer whose works explored everything from religion to art theory to philosophy. His vast body of work includes altarpieces, portraits, self-portraits, watercolors, and books, but is most celebrated for its astonishing collection of woodcut prints, which Through works such as and the he created dense, meticulous compositions that were much larger, much more finely cut, and far more complex than any earlier woodcut efforts. With an ambitious tonal and dynamic range, he introduced a . His two major woodcut series on Christ’s Passion, named and after their size, are particularly remarkable for their vivid human treatment of the Christian narrative. In his copper engraving, , meanwhile, Dürer created a , often cited as a defining early image of a depressive or melancholic state. Ever inquisitive, Dürer absorbed ideas not only from masters and fellow artists in Germany but also from Italy, while his own . In this essential TASCHEN introduction, we explore this pioneering figure’s complex practice, his omnivorous intellect, and the key works which shaped his enduring legacy.