Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Paintings Of Durer

By Darren Hartley


The best known Durer paintings were 18 engravings of the Apocalypse cycle, the most interesting of which was The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, done in 1498. Albrecht Durer's early training was in drawing, woodcutting and printing, which remained his main and favourite media throughout his artistic career.

One of the 1496 powerful Durer paintings was a portrait of Frederick the Wise, the Elector of Saxony at the time, who became one of Albrecht's patrons. Albrecht started as an apprentice in the workshop of Michael Wolgemut, a Nuremberg artist between 1486 through 1489. Travelling became a passion starting in 1490.

Durer paintings were also known for their portraits, which were frequently commissioned from him. Among the best works from this lot are Portrait of Durer's Father at 70, Portrait of Oswolt Krel, Portrait of Bernard von Reesen and Portrait of Hieronymus Holzschuher.

Several self-portraits comprised Durer paintings. They gave the greatest insight into the Albrecht's character and beliefs. Among these self-portraits are Self-Portrait at 22, Self-Portrait at 26 and Self-Portrait at 28. They were respectively completed in 1493, 1498 and 1500. It was in Venice that he knew and admired above all else, the aged Giovanni Bellini, an old Italian master.

A monumental print project among Durer paintings is represented by The Triumphal Arch. It was 330 cm or 11" high and composed of 192 woodblocks. It remains to be the largest woodcut print ever made to this day. Emperor Maximilian, who commissioned the huge print, granted Albrecht a pension of 100 florins, which was subsequently stopped upon the Emperor's death in 1519.

The range and versatility of Durer paintings was astonishing, to say the least. Albrecht's woodcuts and engravings made him famous across Europe. He remains to be considered as the greatest printmaker of all time. He was equally successful at religious and secular subjects, as an oil painter.




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