The most famous rhinoceros in art was drawn by a man who never saw one. Dürer worked from a sketch, adding armour plates and an extra horn — and rhinos were drawn his way for over 200 years.

1515

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The event

• Dürer's Rhinoceros1515 · Nuremberg. In 1515 a live rhinoceros from India reached Lisbon, the first seen in Europe since Roman times. Albrecht Dürer made his woodcut from a sketch and a letter, adding armour plates and a horn on the back — and Europeans pictured rhinos that way for over two centuries.

16th century

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