It turns out to be a 500 year old engraving by the renowned German artist Albrecht Dürer.
A detailed Renaissance engraving once saved from the dump by an 11-year-old boy has been identified as the work of Albrecht Dürer, the famed German Renaissance artist.
“I’ve seen countless prints copying Dürer, from a much later period or produced by a different means, but I’d only ever seen the real thing in museums - until now,” says Jim Spencer, director of Rare Book Auctions.
Born in 1471, Dürer is considered "one of the most technically gifted artists of all time,” says the London Times. Dürer was a contemporary of Leonardo da Vinci, and his work influenced artists such as Raphael and Titian. Though he also painted, Dürer’s most enduring pieces are his incredibly detailed copper-plate engravings.
When 24-year-old Mat Winter approached Spencer earlier this year with the print in question, telling the book dealer that he’d found it at a local dump - in Cranbrook, a town in southern England - more than a decade ago, Spencer’s expectations were low.
“I opened the package, removed the bubble wrap and staggered back in awe,” says Spencer. “My hands were shaking as I held it up to the light. The laid paper was absolutely right for the period. The quality of the engraving was exceptional beyond words. I knew that only one person could’ve produced something like this - it had to be the hand of Dürer himself.”
The rare print - Knight, Death and the Devil, from 1513 - is now heading to the auction block, where it’s predicted to fetch over $26,000.