The Times

ASPREY STUDIO X THE BRITISH MUSEUM

The famous Albrecht Dürer's Rhinoceros from 1515. Reimagined as a handcrafted, physical sculpture with digital inscription.

On display at the Asprey Studio gallery until 20 June 2025

The definitive image of a rhino for 250 years

In partnership with the British Museum, Asprey Studio presents a rare collection of large precious metal sculptures, each paired with Dürer’s original Rhinoceros drawing as an official digital inscription.

Invited by the British Museum, Asprey Studio’s master silversmiths studied the original Dürer preparatory sketch - held at the British Museum in their permanent collection, - a drawing that remained the definitive European image of a rhinoceros for centuries.

IN THE PRESS

"Asprey Studio’s master silversmiths have transformed the virtuoso two-dimensional drawing by Dürer into a set of 11 three-dimensional sculptures. They first consulted Dürer’s original preparatory sketch in the British Museum."

Louisa McKenzie reports for The Times:

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Albrecht Dürer

Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528) was a painter and printmaker, widely regarded as the greatest German Renaissance artist.

Dürer’s widespread fame was partly due to his mastery of printmaking, which allowed his work to reach a broad audience. The woodcut technique enabled mass production of images, making exotic subjects like the rhinoceros accessible to many for the first time.

The Rhinoceros depicts the first living specimen to arrive in Europe since the Roman era. In 1515, an Indian sultan gifted the animal to King Manuel I of Portugal, who later sent it to Pope Leo X in Rome. However, the rhinoceros tragically perished in a shipwreck en route.

Dürer never saw the creature himself. Instead, he based his woodcut on a written description and sketch from a Portuguese merchant’s newsletter. Despite its anatomical inaccuracies, his depiction remained the definitive European image of a rhinoceros for over 250 years.

The handcrafted sculpture

Each sculpture has been meticulously handcrafted by the Asprey Studio Workshop in Kent, UK. At approximately 40cm in length - far larger than typical silver sculptures - they are created using a unique process that combines multiple silversmithing techniques to achieve an unparalleled level of detail.

Composed of over 90 individually crafted pieces, the sculptures undergo an intricate journey from conception to completion. Master engravers, polishers, and artisans meticulously shape and refine each element before the final assembly, ensuring exceptional detail and precision.

The first sculpture took over eight months to complete - a phase during which the Asprey Studio’s silversmiths refined the optimal methods of production. Subsequent sculptures take between three to six months to produce.

The sculpture is currently on display at the Asprey Studio gallery in Mayfair, London, until Friday 20 June 2025.

The sculpture was revealed at the British Museum in May 2025.

Combining traditional artisanal techniques with modern innovation, the project speaks to Dürer’s enduring legacy not only as an artist but as a visionary printer and early adopter of mechanical reproduction. Just as Dürer pushed the boundaries of what was possible in the 16th century, Dürer’s Rhino by Asprey Studio embodies a spirit of experimentation and precision that is relevant today. The work reflects Asprey Studio’s commitment to preserving the values of heritage and material excellence, while exploring new creative and technical frontiers.

The digital inscription

Each of the 11 physical pieces come with the digital inscription of Albrecht Dürer’s Rhinoceros on the blockchain using a parent/child inscription that prevents any further additions and serves as a modern family tree of provenance, further enriching the legacy of this innovative project.