Study for the statue of Albrecht, Count of Hapsburg

The statue in this work was intended for the tomb of Emperor Maximilian (1493-1519) in Innsbruck; Durer was working on this project around 1514-1515. The drawing was damaged by over-cleaning and is entirely re-drawn as a result of the damage. This is one of the artworks presented by the Liverpool Royal Institution. Liverpool’s economic development grew directly from Britain’s involvement with transatlantic slavery: the kidnapping, enslavement and forced migration of people from West Africa to the Americas and many to the Caribbean. Many members of the Royal Institution made their fortunes directly through the trade or indirectly through the wider economy. This wealth was largely how they were able to bring rare art and treasures, such as this, to the city.