Albrecht Dürer

I find it so amazing that when I interview someone, I'm always getting so much fascinating information and knowledge - sometimes it has little to do with the actual interview, but it doesn't matter cause the person gets to talk about something he/she is really into and I learn somethig unexpected. 

This is one example. I interviewd an artist the other day, and he mentioned how he got such a kick when he first saw artist Albrecht Dürer's woodcut of a Rhinoceros. This was in 1515!  The very detailed image was based on a written description and brief sketch by an unknown artist. Dürer never saw the actual Rhinoceros, which was the first living example seen in Europe since Roman times. 

Dürer's woodcut is not an entirely accurate representation of a rhinoceros. Despite its anatomical inaccuracies, Dürer's woodcut became very popular in Europe and was copied many times in the following three centuries. It was regarded as a true representation of a rhinoceros into the late 18th century. It has been said of Dürer's woodcut: "probably no animal picture has exerted such a profound influence on the arts".