Do you know who the first in German painting dared to draw life-size completely naked people? It was the great painter Albrecht Durer. Moreover, he did not draw some scandalous pictures for sexually preoccupied people, but our ancestors - Adam and Eve.
The complete list of works by Albrecht Durer includes about 150 paintings, portraits, woodcuts and copper. And during a trip through the Alps from Venice, he painted a series of topographic watercolors, which, according to some connoisseurs of painting, became the first clear landscapes in the history of art.
Introducing the Top 10 the most famous paintings of Albrecht Durer.
10. Adam and Eve
One of Dürer’s most famous works - the diptych “Adam and Eve” - shows the perfection of the first couple of the world before the Fall. On two oil-painted boards, the artist shows Adam and Eve in idealized, almost symmetrical poses on both sides of the Tree of Knowledge.
The figure of Adam was inspired by the Hellenistic sculpture of Apollo Belvedere. A characteristic feature of the painting is the unprecedented detail and fineness of the lines - including human skin and tree bark.
There was a place in the picture and the Snake, which is holding an unfortunate apple by the handle, which caused the couple to be expelled from the Garden of Eden.
9. Knight, death and the devil
On this canvas, the audience has the nightmare look of Death with an hourglass in his hand (a symbol of futility of efforts and short life) and a pig-headed devil. But the third character of the picture - the knight - keeps calm and tightly grips the reins, directing the horse forward. With his armor and his faith, he is protected from dangers.
“Knight, Death and the Devil” was adored by Adolf Hitler on the grounds that this painting allegedly personifies a brave Teutonic hero.
The knight's horse was inspired by the project of Leonardo da Vinci - equestrian monument of Francesco Sforza in Milan.
8. Madonna and child in front of the arch
This oil painting was found after the Second World War in the Capuchin convent in the Italian city of Bagnacavallo. In 1961, Italian art historian Roberto Longi recognized the painting as the work of Dürer.
The child in Madonna’s arms is copied from the baby Jesus from one of the paintings by the Italian artist Lorenzo di Credi (perhaps Dürer met him in Venice). And the face of the Madonna resembles the character traits on the canvases of Giovanni Bellini, who wrote several Madonnas with babies.
The plant that the child holds in her hands has only two leaves and two strawberries. The missing leaf on the plant indicates the last member of the Holy Trinity.
7. Self-portrait of Dürer
This is one of the three color self-portraits of the famous painter. On it, Dürer arrogantly raised himself to a social position, which, in his opinion, corresponds to the artist of his abilities.
He is wearing bright, extravagant clothes, demonstrating the influence of Italian fashion, and expensive leather gloves. Durer's pose is full of calm and confidence, and he himself dominates the picturesque space of the canvas. He looks at the viewer with a cold ironic look.
It is curious that Dürer was the first among Western artists to write several self-portraits during his life. They are excellent evidence of the development of his talent. The German artist painted his first self-portrait in 1484. Then he was only 13 years old.
6. Saint Jerome in the desert
Saint Jerome of Stridon is depicted during his monastery in the Chalkidian desert. He is surrounded by all the symbols traditionally attributed to him: a tamed lion, a cardinal hat and clothes on the earth (a symbol of renouncing earthly honors), a book (he translated into the Latin Old and New Testaments), a stone that he used to beat himself in the chest, and crucifix.
By the way, Jerome is considered the patron saint of translators.
On the back of the picture there is also an image - an intriguing image resembling a meteor or comet. Perhaps, at its creation, Dürer was inspired by the image of comets in the Nuremberg Chronicle of 1493.
5. Portrait of Frederick III the Wise
Opens the top 5 most famous works of Albrecht Dürer painting, which was one of the first orders received by Dürer from Frederick III, Elector of Saxony.
Frederick liked the portrait so much that he became the patron of the artist, regularly giving him money orders.
The importance of the personality of Frederick, as well as his status are emphasized by a large beret and his determined look.
4. The Seven Sorrows of the Virgin
This polyptych includes a central image of 108 x 43 cm in size and seven adjacent panels (about 60 x 46 cm in size). These include:
- The Circumcision of Christ.
- "Flight to Egypt."
- "The Twelve Years of Christ in the Temple."
- "Carrying the cross."
- "Nailing Christ to the Cross."
- "Christ on the Cross."
- "Mourning of Christ."
The work was commissioned by Frederick III, Elector of Saxony.
Modern scholars are inclined to ascribe to Dürer only the central panel, others were probably made by his students according to the drawings of the master. The central panel depicts the grieving Mother of God, while the rest of the polyptych depicts Jesus at different points in his earthly life.
3. Hands of the Prayer
This is one of the most popular paintings by Dürer. The image of praying hands can often be found on postcards expressing condolences; they illustrated various editions of the Bible.
“Hands of the Prayer” is a sketch for the hands of the apostle, whose figure was to occupy the central panel of the triptych under the name “Geller’s Altar”. But we will never see this picture, since it was destroyed by fire in 1729 during a fire in the Munich residence.
2. Adoration of the Magi
The rich colors characteristic of the Italian Renaissance, combined with German meticulousness in detail, made it possible to create one of Dürer's most outstanding and significant paintings.
The artist departed from the tradition of depicting a magnificent motorcade of the Magi. Instead of a large crowd in the picture (in the background), several horsemen are visible, and next to the magi there is only one person from the retinue.
The painter did not forget to depict himself in the picture. If you looked closely, you probably saw him - this is the central figure of the king in green robes and long curly hair, typical of Dürer.
1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Even if you confuse "Dürer" and "Führer", you may have seen the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse at least once. Not literally, of course. However, this is the most famous of Durer's engravings on the theme of the biblical Apocalypse.
The Horsemen are Conquest, War, Hunger and Death. Moreover, the last rider is depicted not in the form of a skeleton with a scythe, but in the form of a skinny bearded man with a trident. And Hell (in the form of a monster in the lower left) followed them.
In total, Dürer in the period from 1496 to 1498 created 15 "apocalyptic" engravings, which were very popular. The fact is that people were afraid that the end of the world would come in 1500, and Durer's gloomy engravings turned out to be what is called a trend. Several centuries have passed, and people are still waiting for the end of the world, except that now engravings have changed pictures on the Internet.
