Often signing his work with a caduceus, the staff of Mercury, de' Barbari became a bridge between the Venetian and Northern Renaissance. He spent much of his career in Germany and the Netherlands. In those regions, people called him Jakob Walsch. His figures often appear languorous and elongated. This style combined Gothic traditions with new Italian theories. Works like the "Sacrifice of Priapus" and "Victory Reclining Among Trophies" display this unique approach to the human form.

Modern collectors value de' Barbari for his technical precision and his role in early cartography. His "View of Venice" remains one of the most ambitious woodcuts ever produced. It offers a detailed aerial perspective of the city as it appeared in 1500. These prints offer a window into the intellectual world of the sixteenth century. His engravings and paintings provide a sense of order and mathematical curiosity that fits well in a contemporary gallery or study.