Self-portrait, Study of a Hand and a Pillow (recto); Six Studies of Pillows (verso)

This early self-portrait from 1493 offers a rare, intimate glimpse into the mind of a young artist. Instead of presenting a grand public image, the focus here is intensely personal: a hand, almost certainly the artist's own, rests on a pillow, its fingers delicately curled. The drawing is a study in texture and form, with the pen and brown ink creating a sense of weight and softness in the fabric. This work was made when the artist was just 22, likely intended as a preparatory study for a larger painting or possibly a standalone piece to hone his observational skills. The verso (back) of the sheet contains six additional studies of pillows, further emphasizing this drawing's role as an exercise in capturing drapery and volume. It reflects a period of intense self-scrutiny and technical exploration, characteristic of the German Renaissance.