The skin of the rhinoceros looks like European plate armor while rhino skin may be described as “scaly,” it’s not actually made of scales like the legs depicted here and there is an extra small horn on the rhino’s back along with a saw-toothed ridge on the rhino’s hindquarters. Notice, however, that Dürer took a number of liberties with his rendition. “The Rhinoceros” (1515) by Albrecht Dürer.Ĭlose observers will notice that Dürer’s rhinoceros broadly resembles what an actual rhinoceros looks like. Take a look at Dürer’s rendition of the rhinoceros: Unfortunately, the rhinoceros died on its way to Rome, so little remains of the actual animal except for the brief description and sketch that Dürer used to create his famous woodcut. This is the rhinoceros that captured Dürer’s imagination. Manuel I, the King of Portugal, had recently established Portugal’s first colony in India and offered an Indian rhinoceros to Pope Leo X as a gift. In the early 16th century, as Europeans had started to explore the world beyond the Mediterranean Sea, they came in contact with a great many creatures that few, if any, Europeans had ever heard of. This is precisely what happened when the artist and engraver Albrecht Dürer drew what he imagined a rhinoceros to look like when he first read a description in 1515. Based on my description, how accurate do you think the image of the rhinoceros in your head would be? If I asked you to draw what you’re imagining, what would it look like? And what if we sent that drawing to a bunch of other people who have never seen a rhinoceros? Now, imagine that you’ve never seen a rhinoceros, and I tried to describe to you what a rhinoceros looks like. Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), near Narayani River, Chitwan Community Forest buffer zone, NepalĬharles J. You’re probably picturing a large four-legged animal with gray, tough skin, and a prominent horn on its snout. Regardless of whether or not you’ve ever personally seen one, you’ve likely seen enough photographs or television shows to know what a rhinoceros looks like. Try to imagine what a rhinoceros looks like.
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