Albrecht Durer - Animal drawings and watercolours

Dürer   was one of the first artists to view animals as a subject worthy   of attention. At the beginning of the 16th century, the natural   world of animals and plants was becoming a focus of interest   as explorers and travelers were returning from distant lands   with examples and illustrations of new species. Dürer shared   this fascination for the subject which he revealed in many of   his drawings, watercolors and prints.

A   Rhinoceros
  (pen and ink drawing, 1515)
  British   Museum

Dürer's   pen drawing of an Indian rhinoceros is a typical example of   his interest in animals. The image of the rhinoceros is based   on some notes and a sketch by an unknown artist. He never saw   the actual creature in real life which accounts for its anatomical   errors.