ALBRECHT

DURER

German Renaissance Artist

PAINTER
& ENGRAVER

1471-1528
 EDUCATION

 Well educated.

 Wrote books on scientific

theory and math.

 Considered one of the

greatest mathematicians of
his time.
 Albrecht Durer,
Portrait of his Father, 1490
Albrecht Durer,
Rhinoceros, 1515
 RHINOCEROS
 In 1579, Phillip the II of Spain
received a live rhino from India.
 It was the first live rhinoceros seen in
Europe since Roman times.
 The rhino was almost mythological to
the Europeans.
 The King of France wanted to see it, so
the rhino was sent by boat in 1516.
 The ship wrecked and the rhino went
down with the boat.
 Without ever seeing the rhino,
DURER made a drawing from another
artists drawing.
 His woodcut became very famous and
many people bought it.
 His drawing (though incorrect) was
considered a true representation until
the late 18th century.
 DRAWING HANDS

 Albrecht was a master at

drawing/painting hands.

 Most artists kept hands out

of the picture.

 Albrecht made people’s

hands an important part of
his work.
 Albrecht Durer,
Christ Among the Doctors,
1506
Albrecht Durer, Praying
Hands, 1508
Albrecht Durer,
Hands with Bible
 Apocalypse

 Albrecht Durer created a book

called the Apocalypse.
 It was the first book both
designed and published solely by
an artist.
 It contained a series of woodcut
prints that showed scenes from the
book of Revelation.
 He used symbolism in his work.
 Albrecht Durer, The Four
Horsemen of the Apocalypse, 1490
 SYMBOLISM-
Representing things with symbols.

HORSE HORSE RIDER POWER RIDER

SYMBOLIZES SYMBOLIZES
CARRIES
BOW
WHITE FALSE PEACE CONQUERS FALSE
WEARS RELIGION
CROWN

RED BLOOD SPILT IN CARRIES BRINGS WAR,

BATTLE SWORD WAR DESTRUCTION

BLACK BLACK, CARRIES SCARCITY FAMINE,

BARREN FIELDS SCALES OF FOOD UNFAIR TRADE

KILLS BY
PALE DEATH, CARRIES WAR, DEATH
DECAY SCYTHE HUNGER,
PLAGUES,
ETC.
 Albrecht Durer,
Young Hare, 1502
 Value of Durer’s art

 In 1988 a man threw sulphuric

acid on three of Durer’s paintings
in a Munich gallery. It caused
$36 million dollars in damage. It
took several years to restore them.
 Two of his works were stolen
from a German museum during
WWII. They were recovered in
2001.
 His paintings sell for over
$100 million dollars.