Albrecht Durer – Master of Renaissence dreams

Albrecht Durers’ paintings are mostly known as woodcut prints. This is a technique he used the most. He was protected by Emperor Maximilian I.

This shows enough about his social influence. Albert managed to meet even Leonardo da Vinci and get close with him. Also, he frequently kept in contact with some other Italian artists like Giovanni Bellini

The city of Nuremberg is a place I visit each week. As a tour guide, getting familiar with as many destinations as possible is simply a destiny. Here, I can provide people with a view of the house of Albert Durer, a German painter from the renaissance age. 

This theorist and paint maker had a huge influence on me, personally and business-wise. My life is connected with Albert Durers’ paintings in many ways. His main self-portrait is displayed in Alte Pinakothek, a museum where I often make tours and gladly visit every single time. 

Who was Albrecht Durer?

This connection with Italian artists allowed him to contribute to sharing the knowledge between Northern Renaissance and the Italian culture. Also, it helped him to create an strong relationship with the Italian Renaissance artists. 

Knight-Death-and-the-Devil
Knight Devil and the Death

His later works were more related to engraving techniques though. The most famous ones are “Knight, Death and the Devil”, “Melencolia I”, and “Saint Jerome in his Study”.

All of these three pieces of art were finished in a period between 1513-1514. Although these artworks don’t share the same meaning or usual theme, they are frequently shown as a whole.

Watercolors of Albert Durer marked him as one of a few European artists who painted landscapes. 

The Italian influence on Albert Durer

Maybe not many of you knew but this artist made only 2 trips to Italy during his lifespan. If we have in mind how close he was with Italians, this fact might be surprising. However, it was more than enough to impact his paintings and boost his knowledge.

If you wonder why he is considered a theorist besides painting skills, I will sort that question out. While being in Italy, Albert collected beneficial data about human proportions, anatomy, and general perspective. This allowed him to create an artwork of the first people who lived on the planet, Adam and Eve. But also, he used that knowledge, later on, to spread it to others. That’s how “Instruction in Measurement” and “Four Books of Human Proportion” were created.

He manifested his ideals of human perfect proportions through this work. Adam and Eve Durers’ painting is shown as almost perfectly aligned and in a symmetrical way. The symmetry can be seen in the positions of their legs and arms. It amazes how detail-oriented he was. But that’s what his approach looked like.

Durer Adam and Eves’ painting will remain as one of his most astonishing pieces. 

Fathers’ impact on young Albrecht

Albert Durer the Elder was the father of this magnificent painter. He was a goldsmith whose only mission was to coordinate his talented son in the right direction. Shortly, when he was 13 years old, young Albrecht became an apprentice to his father.

After discovering a tendency towards painting, Albrechts’ father decided to send him to a local painter called Michael Wolgemut. With him, Albrecht Durer managed to learn the basics of techniques that would later become his signatures. 

After returning to his birthplace Nuremberg, he was desperate to show himself to the world in the brightest light. Still young, passionate, and an artist who collected huge knowledge from his previous experiences was ready to shine. From 1498 to 1500, it was a do-or-die period. Throughout these couple of years, he was focused on building his reputation and showing the best of his talent. As a result, many fascinating artworks followed.

Famous self-portraits like “Self Portrait” (1498) and “Self Portrait at the age of 28” (1500) have flowed onto the surface of Albrechts’ creativity. But perhaps the most astonishing piece of his works from this period is the “Apocalypse series” from 1498. These series were created in the form of 15 woodcuts in total. As people were very religion-oriented back then, this quickly sent him to the stars in terms of popularity. 

Describing multiple scenes from “The Book of Revelation”, this piece of art became Albrecht Durers’ signature. After publishing it, he became a widely recognized artist across the world and not just in Europe. 

How are some of my private tours associated with Albrecht Durer?

Yes, this artist had a massive influence on me and my motivation. Through his experiences and works, I have learned many useful lessons. And I wouldn’t be me if I wouldn’t try to pass it on to my tourists too. Life showed me that sharing knowledge and wise lessons with others is an important, humble, and noble thing to do. Maybe that’s the reason why a lot of noble families were willing to buy pieces of Albrechts’ art. 

Being part of some of my private tours can help you to know something more about the style and techniques this painter used. I am always eager to teach you how to use pencils for drawings based on the works of Durer, like the famous Rhinoceros, for instance. 

Being able to provide people with information like this has motivated me to continue doing what I like. It showed me that learning is priceless and that there is always something new to remember. That’s how big Albrecht Durers’ influence is on me. I wouldn’t continue to research about middle age achievements without his existence. It is as simple as that. 

The house of Albrecht Durer

Albrecht Durers’ house is not just a building you see every day. Today, houses are usually made of concrete which differentiates from his residence. His house is famous for many reasons. That’s why I keep showing it to people every week. 

This half-timbered facility is a place where Albrecht Durer lived from 1509 to his last days. It has a national value and is not known only because this artist was spending his life in it. It is one of the houses that managed to survive Nurembergs’ golden age. However, its biggest value lies in the fact that it is the only artists’ residence from the 15th century in the entire Northern that didn’t collapse. 

It kept standing despite many climate changes. 

This house today represents a valuable historical object. The rooms show the atmosphere of Albrechts’ era and reflect the way he lived. Since 1828, this facility has been recognized as the first memorial site in the whole of Germany. Additionally, there are some features specifically designed for tourists. Namely, you can have a tour led by the actress who plays the role of Agnes Durer. 

Do you wonder why she is doing it that way? Well, it is quite simple. The point is to get people as close as possible to the life Albert and his wife were having. It is a phenomenal idea that continues to leave visitors in awe every time I come.

There is also a workshop where some of the copies of Albrechts’ works are displayed. Even though they are not original, they represent the same value and significance as real ones. Truly useful to see, no doubt about it!

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