Self-portraits of Durer: description, history of creation and interesting facts

The titanium of the West European Renaissance, the genius of the Renaissance, Albrecht Durer, was one of the brightest stars in the sky of German painting. The greatest artist of the turn of the 15th-16th centuries became famous for his engravings in wood and copper; Landscapes, made with watercolor and gouache, realistic living portraits. He became the first theoretician of art in history. Being a versatile person, Albrecht Durer created not only outstanding works, but intellectual masterpieces. Among them - an engraving "Melancholy" with its magic square. An ingenious artist became famous for his self-portraits, in which both the skill and the author's unique design were concluded. For life, Albrecht Durer created at least 50 such works, but few of us have survived to this day. What is remarkable for Durer's self-portraits? Why do they still make the enthusiastic admirers of his work tremble?

Self-portraits as a biography of Albrecht Durer

Biographers say that the master Albrecht Durer was an extremely attractive young man, and the love of self-portraits was partly related to the vainglorious desire to please people. However, this was not their true purpose. Self-portraits of Durer are a reflection of his inner world and views on art, the history of the evolution of the intellect and the development of artistic taste. They can be traced throughout the life of the artist. Each of its stages is a new work, strikingly different from the previous one. Durer made a self-portrait as a separate genre in the visual arts, and his work as a whole became a living biography of the artist. They can sometimes tell more than any book.

The first self-portrait of the great artist

The first self-portrait of Albrecht Durer was created in 1484. Then the artist was only thirteen years old, but he was already able to correctly convey the proportions and was superbly in possession of the silver pin. They young Albrecht for the first time outlined the contours of his face. This tool leaves a silvery trace on the primed paper. Over time, it becomes brown. Erase it from a sheet, without damaging the soil, is almost impossible. Thirteen-year-old Albrecht, however, painted a portrait of them, the creation of which would cause difficulties even for the artist of that time.

In the picture, the young Durer looks thoughtful and at the same time strict. His glance is full of sadness and determination. Gesture of the hand speaks of an uncompromising desire to achieve its goal - to become a great master of his craft. One day, Father Albrecht, saw the work of his son. The first self-portrait of Durer was struck by a talented jeweler. Father always wanted his son to follow in his footsteps, but after evaluating the work of Albrecht, he sent him to study at the artist's studio of Michael Wolgemuth. There the young Durer learned the basics of painting and engraving.

An early self-portrait with a pen

At the end of the training each artist, according to the tradition of that time, went on a journey. Traveling, he had to gain experience from masters from distant lands. On this path Albrecht Durer also went. Self-portrait, written by him during a trip across Europe, was executed in a completely different manner. He shows the ability of a young artist to reflect on paper the inner state of the human soul. This time, Durer used a pen, and his mood was different. In the picture "Self-portrait with a bandage" Albrecht's face is full of torment and undisguised pain. It is covered with wrinkles, which make the image more gloomy. The cause of the torment is not known for certain, but there is no doubt that they took place.

Self-portrait, 1493

By the end of the journey Albrecht overtook the news of his early marriage. Then, in the 15th century, parents chose their own couple for themselves. Albrecht's father found a bride from a noble Nuremberg family. Against the marriage of Agnes Frey, the young artist did not object. There is a point of view that it was on the occasion of this event that Dürer wrote "Self-Portrait with a Thistle." In those days it was considered the norm that future spouses got acquainted right at the wedding, so the young artist decided to make his future wife a special gift.

On the portrait, Albrecht is 22 years old. The young man fixed his gaze in the distance. He is focused and thoughtful. Albrecht's eyes are slightly mowed due to the fact that he was working on the portrait, looking at himself in the mirror. In the hands of the artist holds a thistle. He became the subject of controversy between fans of Durer's creativity.

Disputes around the "Self-portrait with a thistle"

The equivalent of the word "thistle" in German is männertreu, which literally translates as "man's faithfulness." This clearly indicates that the self-portrait was intended for Agnes Frey. However, opponents of this view argue that the thistle is a symbol of the passions of Christ, and the thorns of the plant represent the torments of Jesus. In addition, Durer wrote on a self-portrait: "My affairs are governed by the Most High." And it also clearly indicates that this picture is an expression of obedience and devotion to the artist of God, and not a gift to his future wife. However, only Durer himself knew the truth.

Italian work, 1498

The next work of the master Albrecht in the genre of self-portrait is already done in Italy. The artist has always wanted to go to this country and get acquainted with the unique tradition of Italian painting. The young wife and her family did not support the idea of travel, but the plague epidemic that engulfed Nuremberg made the welcome trip possible. Durer was struck by the vivid riot of colors of Italian landscapes. He depicted nature with incredible clarity for that time. Durer was the first landscape painter in the history of art. His ideal was now the correct image, corresponding to nature and geometry. The creative atmosphere of Italy helped him to accept himself as an artist-innovator. And this is fully reflected in his Italian self-portrait.

It depicts a self-assured person who has realized his calling, the mission of the creator of the beautiful and the credo of the thinker. This was Durer. Self-portrait, the description of which allows you to judge the changes in his identity, was one of the artist's most famous works. Durer on it is full of dignity. His posture is straight, and his eyes express confidence. Albrecht is richly dressed. His carefully curled hair falls on his shoulders. And in the background of the self-portrait can be seen the Italian landscape - the pure inspiration of the artist.

Four temperaments

The next work of Durer completely reflects his nature of the thinker, as well as the desire for self-knowledge. Self-portrait is dedicated to the Greek doctrine of the four temperaments. According to him, people are divided into sanguine, choleric, melancholic and phlegmatic. On the engraving "Men's Bath" the great artist embodied each type of temperament in a separate person. Dürer considered himself a melancholy. An unknown astrologer once told him about this. It can be assumed that it is in this role that he is engraved on engraving. The artist portrayed himself as a flutist entertaining his friends.

Self-Portrait in the Image of Christ, 1500

From Italy, Durer returned no longer a timid student, but a master of his craft. At home, Albrecht received many orders that brought him fame. His work was already known outside his native Nuremberg, and the artist himself put his business on a commercial basis. At the same time, a new century was approaching, the offensive of which was to be marked by the end of the world. The tense period of eschatological expectation had a significant impact on the master Albrecht. And in 1500 appeared the most famous work, which Dürer created, - "Self-portrait in the image of Christ."

He captured himself in full face, which was an unthinkable courage in the 16th century. All portraits of that time were distinguished by one common feature: ordinary people were always depicted half-turned, and only Jesus was an exception. Durer was the first artist to break this secret ban. A piercing look, wavy hair, perfect proportions of the face really make it look like Christ. Even the hand written at the bottom of the canvas is composed in a gesture typical of the Holy Father. The colors in the picture are low-key. Against the background of black, red, white and brown shades, the artist's face stands out clearly. Wrapped in robes trimmed with fur, the master Albrecht seemed to compare himself to the creator who creates his own special, mysterious and unique world with a cutter and a brush.

Religious self-portraits

The subsequent self-portraits of Durer had a pronounced religious character. The sixteenth century was full of turmoil associated with the realization of the role of God in the life of the common man. Martin Luther, who tried to bring the essence of Christian doctrine to the people, contributed to this question. And Durer wrote numerous religious compositions. Among them, "Feast of the beads" and "Worship of the Holy Trinity." On them, Durer is not only a master, but also a participant in sacred activities. Thus, he paid tribute to God's devotion.

The most candid self-portrait

Religious overtones are one of the most controversial and mysterious works of the artist - "Self-portrait naked." Albrecht Durer portrayed himself in the image of Christ the Martyr. About that they say a thin face, an emaciated body, a pose that reminds Jesus of scourging. Even the skin fold, depicted by the artist over the right thigh, may have a symbolic meaning. There was one of their wounds received by Christ.

The drawing is made with a pen and a brush on tinted green paper. The exact time of creating a self-portrait is unknown, but based on the age of the artist in the picture, we can assume that he wrote it in the first decade of the XVI century. It is well known that the author kept the work at home and did not represent the general public. No artist before and after him portrayed himself completely naked. Shocking his frankness drawing can hardly be found in publications devoted to art.

Latest self-portraits of Albrecht Durer

The subsequent self-portraits of Durer were predicting his imminent death. In the Netherlands, he was struck by a strange illness, which no one had imagined in those days. Now historians can only assume that this was malaria. The artist had problems with the spleen, which he clearly indicated on the self-portrait "Durer-sick" with a yellow spot. He sent the picture to his doctor and wrote a short message to him. It said that the place on which a yellow stain is depicted causes pain. The reflection of the artist's physical condition and the continuation of the religious theme was "Self-portrait in the image of a suffering Christ." It depicts Durer, exhausted by an unknown disease and spiritual disorder, the cause of which, perhaps, is the Reformation and the events connected with it.

Soon he died, leaving to posterity the greatest legacy of his time. Self-portraits of Durer, stored in the most famous galleries of the world, such as the Louvre in Paris and the Prado in Madrid, are still striking with their inner strength and almost mystical beauty.