British Museum Puts Sculptures of Dürer's 'Rhinoceros' on Bitcoin Blockchain
Albrecht Dürer’s 1515 artwork “The Rhinoceros” has been transformed into 11 sterling silver sculptures by Asprey Studio, in collaboration with the British Museum. Each sculpture will be sold with a digital inscription on the Bitcoin blockchain, featuring a parent/child inscription that establishes provenance. Buyers will receive the digital inscription prior to the completion of the sculptures, which are produced to order and require a complex manufacturing process. Dürer, a key figure of the German Renaissance, created his original print without seeing a live rhino, relying on descriptions. He was an innovator in printmaking and branding, even engaging in early intellectual property disputes. Asprey Studio emphasizes that the original drawing remains owned by the museum, and the digital inscription serves to preserve the piece's legacy. The British Museum has previously engaged with Web3 technology, launching NFTs and collaborating with metaverse platforms.
