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About Durer Paintings

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.

Frederick the Wise, Elector of Saxony from 1496, was one of Albrecht's patrons. He commissioned Albrecht to paint several altarpieces, The Seven Sorrows of the Virgin, The Jabach Altarpiece, The Martyrdom of the Ten Thousand and The Adoration of the Magi. The latter was considered to be one of the masterpieces among powerful Durer paintings.

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.

Albrecht became an early and enthusiastic follower of Martin Luther. This new faith can be sensed in the growing austerity in style and subject of his Durer paintings representing religious works after 1520. The climax to this trend is masterfully represented by The Four Holy Men, which was completed in 1526.

Durer paintings consisting of three engravings in 1513-1514 comprised Albrecht's greatest achievement in printmaking. These masterpieces were Knight, Death and the Devil, St. Jerome in His Study and Melencolia I. Albrecht worked for Emperor Maximilian after completing these engravings. In celebration of the Emperor's achievements, he was commissioned to design a huge print entitled The Triumphal Arch.

Durer paintings consisted of over 350 woodcuts and engravings, which appeared with his famous AD monogram. At least 60 of Albrecht's oil paintings have survived. There are a thousand of his drawings and watercolours, saved on paper, sometimes inscribing them with his monogram, the year it was completed and a few words of explanation about the subject matter.




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