Who was Albrecht Dürer? by National Gallery

Albrecht Dürer was born into a Catholic family and remained a Catholic throughout his life, although he was influenced by the Protestant Reformation and showed sympathy for Martin Luther's ideas. Dürer's religious views and affiliations have been the subject of much debate among historians. Some sources suggest that he may have been sympathetic to Lutheran ideas, but there is no definitive evidence that he formally left the Catholic Church.

Dürer's works often reflect his complex relationship with religion. For example, his painting "The Four Apostles" (1526) is seen by some as a statement of Protestant sympathies, with its emphasis on the Bible and the role of individual faith.
However, other works, such as his earlier religious paintings, show a more traditional Catholic perspective.

Despite his possible sympathies with the Reformation, Dürer is generally considered to have remained a Catholic. He was a patron of the Catholic Church and maintained relationships with Catholic figures throughout his life.
Some scholars argue that his later works, while showing influences of the Reformation, still reflect Catholic themes and iconography.

In summary, while Dürer was influenced by the Protestant Reformation and may have had sympathies with Lutheran ideas, he is generally regarded as a Catholic artist who remained within the Catholic Church throughout his life.