A 1825 lithograph by Auguste Toussaint Lecler depicting the Renaissance master Albrecht Dürer, based on his famous self-portrait.

This lithograph by Auguste Toussaint Lecler, dated 1825, presents a study of the German Renaissance master Albrecht Dürer. Lecler, a French printmaker active during the early nineteenth century, produced this work by referencing Dürer's own famous self-portrait. The print captures the iconic likeness of the artist, known for his long, wavy hair and fur-trimmed cloak, which Dürer famously depicted in his 1500 self-portrait.

Lecler employs the lithographic medium to replicate the tonal qualities of the original painting. The technique allows for soft transitions between light and shadow, particularly in the rendering of the fur collar and the contours of the face. The artist maintains a focus on the psychological intensity of the subject, mirroring the direct gaze found in the source material. The inscription at the base of the print, 'D'après son portrait gravé par lui-même', clarifies the lineage of the image, acknowledging the source as Dürer's own work.

During the nineteenth century, the reproduction of Old Master portraits through lithography became a common practice for disseminating art history to a wider audience. Lecler demonstrates technical precision in his handling of the stone, ensuring that the texture of the hair and the fabric of the garment remain distinct. The composition is centred, drawing the viewer's attention to the face of the Renaissance figure. This print serves as a record of the nineteenth-century interest in the lives and appearances of historical artists. It remains a clear example of the period's dedication to technical accuracy in reproductive printmaking, providing a window into how Dürer was perceived and catalogued by later generations of European artists.