after completing his term of apprenticeship in 1489, dürer followed the common german custom of taking a "wanderjahre" — in effect a gap year. dürer was away nearly four years, travelling through germany, switzerland, and probably, the netherlands. dürer wanted to meet martin schongauer, the best engraver of northern europe, but schongauer died shortly before dürer's arrival. he stayed at the house of schongauer's brother, and got some pictures that schongauer owned.