Albrecht Durer se man description of the painting. Albrecht Durer paintings

Do you know who was the first in German painting to dare to paint completely naked people in life size? It was great painter Albrecht Durer. Moreover, he did not draw some raunchy pictures for sexually anxious people, but our ancestors - Adam and Eve.

The complete list of Albrecht Dürer's works includes about 150 paintings, portraits, woodcuts and copper engravings. And during a trip through the Alps from Venice, he painted a series of topographical watercolors, which, according to some art experts, became the first pure landscapes in the history of art.

We present to you the top 10 Albrecht Durer's most famous paintings.

10. Adam and Eve

In one of the most famous works Dürer's diptych "Adam and Eve" shows the perfection of the first couple of the world before the Fall. On two oil panels, the artist shows Adam and Eve in idealized, almost symmetrical poses on either side of the Tree of Knowledge.

The figure of Adam was inspired by the Hellenistic sculpture of Apollo Belvedere. Characteristic feature The paintings are characterized by unprecedented detail and fine lines - including human skin and tree bark.

There was also a place in the picture for the Snake, who holds the ill-fated apple by the stalk, which was the reason for the expulsion of the couple from the Garden of Eden.

9. Knight, death and the devil

In this canvas, viewers are presented with the nightmarish gaze of Death from hourglass in hand (symbol of the futility of efforts and short-term life) and a pig-headed devil. But the third character in the picture - the knight - remains calm and tightly grips the reins, directing the horse forward. By his armor and his faith he is protected from danger.

"Knight, Death and the Devil" was adored by Adolf Hitler on the grounds that the painting supposedly personified the brave Teutonic hero.

The knight's horse was inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's design for the equestrian monument of Francesco Sforza in Milan.

This oil painting was found after World War II in a Capuchin convent in the Italian city of Bagnacavallo. In 1961, Italian art critic Roberto Longhi recognized the painting as the work of Dürer.

The child in the arms of the Madonna is copied from the baby Jesus from one of the paintings Italian artist Lorenzo di Credi (possibly Dürer met him in Venice). And Madonna’s face resembles the features of the characters in the paintings of Giovanni Bellini, who painted several Madonnas with Babies.

The plant the child is holding has only two leaves and two strawberries. A missing leaf on a plant indicates last participant Holy Trinity.

This is one of three color self-portraits of the famous painter. On it Dürer arrogantly raised himself to social status, which, in his opinion, corresponds to an artist of his abilities.

He wears bright, extravagant clothes, showing the influence of Italian fashion, and expensive leather gloves. Dürer's pose is full of calm and confidence, and he himself dominates the pictorial space of the canvas. He looks at the viewer with a cold, ironic gaze.

It is curious that Dürer was the first of Western artists painted 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. He was only 13 years old then.

Saint Jerome of Stridon is depicted during his monastery in the Chalcis desert. He is surrounded by all the symbols traditionally attributed to him: a tamed lion, a cardinal's hat and robes on the ground (a symbol of the renunciation of earthly honors), a book (he translated the Old and New Testaments into Latin), a stone that he used to beat his chest, and crucifixion.

By the way, Jerome is considered the patron saint of translators.

On back side paintings are also an image - an intriguing image reminiscent of a meteor or comet. Perhaps, when creating it, Dürer was inspired by the image of comets in the Nuremberg Chronicle of 1493.

The top 5 most famous works of Albrecht Dürer open with a painting that was one of the first orders Dürer received from Frederick III, Elector of Saxony.

Frederick liked the portrait so much that he became the artist’s patron, regularly giving him financial orders.

The importance of Frederick's personality, as well as his status, is emphasized by his large beret and his determined gaze.

This polyptych includes a central image measuring 108 x 43 cm and seven adjacent panels (measuring approximately 60 x 46 cm). These include:

"The Circumcision of Christ."
"Flight into Egypt."
"Twelve-year-old Christ in the temple."
"Carrying the Cross"
"Nailing Christ to the Cross."
"Christ on the Cross."
"Lamentation of Christ."

The work was commissioned by Frederick III, Elector of Saxony.

Modern scholars tend to attribute only the central panel to Durer; the others were probably made by his students from the master's drawings. The central panel depicts the grieving Mother of God, while the remaining parts of the polyptych depict Jesus at different moments of his earthly life.

3. Hands of the Prayer

This is one of Durer's most popular paintings. The image of praying hands can often be found on cards expressing condolences; they have been used to illustrate various editions of the Bible.

“The Praying Hands” is a sketch for the hands of the apostle, whose figure was to occupy the central panel of the triptych called “The Heller Altar.” But we will never see this painting, since it was destroyed by fire in 1729 during a fire in the Munich residence.

2. Adoration of the Magi

Rich colors typical Italian Renaissance, combined with German meticulousness in detail, resulted in the creation of one of Dürer's most outstanding and significant paintings.

The artist departed from the tradition of depicting a magnificent cortege of the Magi. Instead of a large crowd in the picture (in the background), several horsemen are visible, and next to the wise men 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. 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, Famine and Death. Moreover, the last rider is depicted not as a skeleton with a scythe, but as a skinny bearded man with a trident. And Hell (in the form of a monster at the bottom left) followed them.

In total, Durer created 15 “apocalyptic” engravings between 1496 and 1498, 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, as they say, in trend. Several centuries have passed, and people still expect the end of the world, except that now engravings have replaced pictures on the Internet.

Albrecht Dürer (German: Albrecht Dürer, May 21, 1471, Nuremberg - April 6, 1528, Nuremberg) - German painter and graphic artist, one of greatest masters Western European Renaissance. Recognized as the largest European master of woodblock printing, who raised it to the level of real art. The first art theorist among the North European artists, author practical guide in fine and decorative arts at German, who promoted the need for the diversified development of artists. Founder of comparative anthropometry. The first European artist to write an autobiography.

Biography of Albrecht Durer

The future artist was born on May 21, 1471 in Nuremberg, in the family of jeweler Albrecht Dürer, who arrived in this German city from Hungary in the mid-15th century, and Barbara Holper. The Dürers had eighteen children, some, as Dürer the Younger himself wrote, died “in their youth, others when they grew up.” In 1524, only three of the Durer children were alive - Albrecht, Hans and Endres.

The future artist was the third child and second son in the family. His father, Albrecht Dürer the Elder, literally translated his Hungarian surname Aitoshi (Hungarian Ajtósi, from the name of the village of Aitosh, from the word ajtó - “door.”) into German as Türer; subsequently it was transformed under the influence of Frankish pronunciation and began to be written Dürer. Albrecht Dürer the Younger remembered his mother as a pious woman who lived a difficult life. Perhaps weakened by frequent pregnancies, she was sick a lot. The famous German publisher Anton Koberger became Dürer's godfather.

For some time, the Durers rented half of the house (next to the city central market) from the lawyer and diplomat Johann Pirkheimer. Hence the close acquaintance of two families belonging to different urban classes: the patricians Pirkheimers and the artisans Durers. Dürer the Younger was friends with Johann's son, Willibald, one of the most enlightened people in Germany, all his life. Thanks to him, the artist later entered the circle of humanists in Nuremberg, whose leader was Pirkheimer, and became his own man there.

From 1477 Albrecht attended the Latin school. At first, the father involved his son in working in a jewelry workshop. However, Albrecht wanted to paint. The elder Dürer, despite regretting the time spent training his son, gave in to his requests, and at the age of 15, Albrecht was sent to the workshop of the leading Nuremberg artist of the time, Michael Wolgemut. Dürer himself spoke about this in his “Family Chronicle,” which he created at the end of his life, one of the first autobiographies in the history of Western history. European art.

From Wolgemut, Dürer mastered not only painting, but also wood engraving. Wolgemut, together with his stepson Wilhelm Pleydenwurf, made engravings for Hartmann Schedel's Book of Chronicles. In the work on the most illustrated book of the 15th century, which experts consider the Book of Chronicles, Wolgemut was helped by his students. One of the engravings for this edition, "Dance of Death", is attributed to Albrecht Dürer.

Altdorfer's work

Painting

Having dreamed of painting since childhood, Albrecht insisted that his father send him to study as an artist. After his first trip to Italy, he had not yet fully grasped the achievements of Italian masters, but in his works one can already feel an artist who thinks outside the box and is always ready to search. Dürer probably received the title of master (and with it the right to open his own workshop) by completing murals in the “Greek style” in the house of Nuremberg citizen Sebald Schreyer. On young artist attracted the attention of Frederick the Wise, who instructed him, among other things, to paint his portrait. Following the Elector of Saxony, the Nuremberg patricians also wished to have their own images - at the turn of the century, Dürer worked a lot in portrait genre. Here Dürer continued the tradition that had developed in painting Northern Europe: The model is presented in a three-quarter spread against a landscape background, all details are depicted very carefully and realistically.

After the publication of “Apocalypse,” Dürer became famous in Europe as a master of engraving, and only during his second stay in Italy received recognition abroad as a painter. In 1505, Jacob Wimpfeling in his " German history"wrote that Dürer's paintings are valued in Italy "...as highly as the paintings of Parrhasius and Apelles." The works completed after his trip to Venice demonstrate Dürer’s success in solving problems of depicting the human body, including the nude, complex angles, and characters in motion. His characteristic disappears early works gothic angularity. The artist relied on the execution of ambitious painting projects, accepting orders for multi-figure altarpieces. The works of 1507-1511 are distinguished by a balanced composition, strict symmetry, “some rationality,” and a dry manner of depiction. Unlike his Venetian works, Dürer did not strive to convey the effects of a light-air environment; he worked with local colors, perhaps yielding to the conservative tastes of his customers. Received into the service by Emperor Maximilian, he gained some financial independence and, leaving painting for a while, turned to scientific research and engraving works.

Self-portraits

The emergence of the Northern European self-portrait as an independent genre is associated with the name of Dürer. One of the best portrait painters of his time, he highly valued painting because it made it possible to preserve the image of a particular person for future generations. Biographers note that, having an attractive appearance, Dürer especially loved to portray himself in his youth and reproduced his appearance not without a “vain desire to please the viewer.” For Dürer, a picturesque self-portrait is a means of emphasizing his status and a milestone marking a certain stage of his life. Here he appears as a man of intellectual and spiritual development above the level that was determined by his class position, which was uncharacteristic for self-portraits of artists of that era. In addition, he once again asserted the high importance visual arts(unfairly, as he believed, excluded from among the “seven liberal arts”) at a time when in Germany it was still classified as a craft.

Drawings

About a thousand (Julia Bartrum says about 970) of Dürer’s drawings have survived: landscapes, portraits, sketches of people, animals and plants. Evidence of how carefully the artist treated his drawing is the fact that even his student works have been preserved. Dürer's graphic heritage, one of the largest in the history of European art, is on a par with the graphics of da Vinci and Rembrandt in terms of volume and significance. Free from the arbitrariness of the customer and his desire for the absolute, which brought a share of coldness into his paintings, the artist most fully revealed himself as a creator precisely in drawing.

Dürer tirelessly practiced arrangement, generalization of particulars, and construction of space. His animalistic and botanical drawings are distinguished by high skill in execution, observation, and fidelity to the rendering of natural forms, characteristic of a naturalist scientist. Most of them are carefully worked out and represent complete works, however, according to the custom of artists of that time, they served as auxiliary material: Durer used all his studies in engravings and paintings, repeating motifs several times graphic works V major works. At the same time, G. Wölfflin noted that Dürer transferred almost nothing of the truly innovative discoveries he made in landscape watercolors to his paintings.

Dürer's graphics completed various materials, often he used them in combination. He became one of the first German artists, who worked with a brush with white on colored paper, popularizing this Italian tradition.

Bibliography

Bartrum D. Durer / Trans. from English - M.: Niola-Press, 2010. - 96 p. - (From the collection British Museum). - 3000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-366-00421-3.
Benoit A. History of painting of all times and peoples. - St. Petersburg: Publishing House "Neva", 2002. - T. 1. - P. 297-314. - 544 p. - ISBN 5-7654-1889-9.
Berger J. Durer. - M.: Art-Rodnik, 2008. - 96 p. - 3000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-88896-097-4.
Albrecht Durer. Engravings / Prev. A. Bore, approx. A. Bore and S. Bon, trans. from fr. A. Zolotov. - M.: Magma LLC, 2008. - 560 p. - 2000 copies. - ISBN 978-593428-054-4.
Brion M. Durer. - M.: Young Guard, 2006. - (Life of wonderful people).
Zuffi S. Large atlas of painting. Fine art 1000 years / Scientific editor S. I. Kozlova. - M.: OLMA-PRESS, 2002. - P. 106-107. - ISBN 5-224-03922-3.
Durus A. The heretic Albrecht Durer and three “godless artists” // Art: magazine. - 1937. - No. 1.
Zarnitsky S. Durer. - M.: Young Guard, 1984. - (Life of wonderful people).
Nemirovsky E. The World of Books. From ancient times to the beginning of the 20th century / Reviewers A. A. Govorov, E. A. Dinerstein, V. G. Utkov. - M.: Book, 1986. - 50,000 copies.
Lvov S. Albrecht Durer. - M.: Art, 1984. - (Life in art).
Liebmann M. Durer and his era. - M.: Art, 1972.
Koroleva A. Durer. - M.: Olma Press, 2007. - 128 p. - (Gallery of geniuses). - ISBN 5-373-00880-X.
Matvievskaya G. Albrecht Durer - scientist. 1471-1528 / Rep. ed. Ph.D. physics and mathematics Science Yu. A. Bely; Reviewers: acad. Academy of Sciences of the UzSSR V. P. Shcheglov, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics. Sciences B.A.
Rosenfeld; Academy of Sciences of the USSR. - M.: Nauka, 1987. - 240, p. - (Scientific and biographical literature). - 34,000 copies. (in translation)
Nevezhina V. Nuremberg engravers of the 16th century. - M., 1929.
Nesselstrauss Ts. Literary heritage Durer // Durer A. Treatises. Diaries. Letters / Translation by Nesselstrauss Ts.. - M.: Art, 1957. - T. 1.
Nesselstrauss Ts. Drawings by Durer. - M.: Art, 1966. - 160 p. - 12,000 copies.
Nesselstrauss Z. Durer. - M.: Art, 1961.
Norbert W. Durer. - M.: Art-Rodnik, 2008. - 96 p. - 3000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-9794-0107-2.
Sidorov A. Durer. - Izogiz, 1937.
Chernienko I. Germany at the turn of the XV-XVI centuries: the era and its vision in the work of Albrecht Durer: abstract of the dissertation for the degree of candidate of historical sciences: 07.00.03. - Perm, 2004.

Dürer Albrecht (1471-1528), German artist.

Born May 21, 1471 in Nuremberg. First the young man jewelry making his father taught him, and in 1486 he entered the painting workshop of M. Wolgemut, where he adopted the principles of late Gothic. The works performed by Dürer during his educational travels along the upper Rhine (1490-1494) are typical of German art of the 15th century, which combined features of the Gothic and Renaissance.

Visits to Italy (1494-1495 and 1505-1507) and the Netherlands (1520-1521) increased Dürer's interest in science. He studied nature in depth and developed the doctrine of proportions. In addition to a huge number of visual works, Dürer left a large theoretical legacy (“Guide to Measurement”, 1525; “Instructions for the Fortification of Cities”, 1527; “Four Books on Human Proportions”, 1528). The artist works a lot on the landscape (“View of Trient”, watercolor, 1495; “House by the Pond”, watercolor, circa 1495-1497).

His compositions are clear, logical and precisely detailed (Dresden Altarpiece, circa 1496; Paumgartner Altarpiece, 1502-1504; Adoration of the Trinity, 1511). In “The Adoration of the Magi” (1504) he uses the coloristic achievements of the Venetian school. But unlike the emotional Italians, Dürer is gothically cruel and detailed.

In the series of woodcuts "Apocalypse" (1498), he addressed the theme of the end of the world, anticipating a time of change. In subsequent cycles - “Great Passion” (about 1497-1511), “Life of Mary” (about 1502-1511), “Lesser Passion” (1509-1511), “Saint Eustathius” and “Nemesis” "(1500-1503) - Dürer's mastery reaches perfection. But the so-called master engravings of 1513-1514 are rightfully considered the pinnacle of his work. (The Horseman, Death and the Devil, 1513; Melancholies, Saint Jerome, both 1514).

Dürer devoted a lot of time to the study of the nude figure; his interest in anatomy was of a scientific nature and was embodied in copper engravings (“Adam” and “Eve”, 1504). He also uses traditional motifs of folk life in his engravings (“Three Peasants,” circa 1497; “Dancing Peasants,” 1514). Dürer also carefully approaches the portrait (“Portrait of a Father,” 1490; “ Female portrait", 1506; "Portrait of a Mother", 1514; "Portrait young man", 1521; "Portrait of Erasmus of Rotterdam", 1526).

In 1526 the artist creates last job- a pictorial composition-diptych “Four Apostles”. Dürer won an honorable position in hometown, fame in Germany and abroad. He was friends with the most prominent scientists, received orders from the emperor, princes and rich burghers.

Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), German painter, graphic artist, outstanding art theorist, was born to Hungarian Albrecht Dürer the Elder and German Barbara Holper. The family lived in the city of Nuremberg, located in the southeastern part of Germany. His father, a goldsmith, tried to instill in the boy an interest in the profession of a jeweler, but young Albrecht wanted to become an artist. And when the younger Durer turned 15 years old, he was sent to the workshop of the famous Nuremberg painter Michael Wolgemut.

The first steps of a young artist

Albrecht turned out to be a diligent and capable student, he a short time mastered the fundamental canons of painting and painted several small canvases. Dürer's paintings received the teacher's approval. Wolgemut, in addition to creating paintings, was engaged in graphics. His engravings, made according to the principle of woodcut (wood engraving), were used in his book “The Nuremberg Chronicles” by Hartmann Schedel, a German cartographer. The illustrations made by Wolgemuth and his students formed the main part of the book, which went down in history as a work of art. The author of one of the engravings in the book "Dance of Death" was Albrecht Durer.

Creative journey

In the 15th century, Germany had a tradition of apprenticeship trips, during which apprentices were exposed to the work of masters from other regions of the country. The young painter Durer also made such a journey. His voyage lasted four years, from 1490 to 1494. In addition to German cities, the artist Durer, whose paintings were already quite famous, also visited cities in Switzerland and Holland, gaining invaluable experience from the great masters and Swiss engraving specialists. Starting his journey, Dürer dreamed of meeting the artist Martin Schongauer, whom he considered the standard of excellence in the fine arts. At that time, Schongauer lived in Colmar and was engaged in copper engravings. However, the meeting between the two artists did not take place, since Martin died shortly before Albrecht’s arrival.

Basel

Albrecht Dürer, whose paintings and engravings were already known among specialists, met with the brother of the late Martin Schongauer, Ludwig, who was also engaged in copper engraving. Ludwig passed on his experience to Albrecht. The technique of copper engraving required jewelry skills, and Durer had them, since while still a teenager he helped his father in the jewelry workshop for several years. Albrecht moved to Basel, the center of book printing. Another of the Schongauer brothers, Georg, lived in Basel. Collaborating with him, Dürer mastered all the intricacies of creating book engravings, and after some time, illustrations in a new, previously unknown style began to appear in Basel books. Dürer's creativity improved, he successfully applied new forms. In the book “Ship of Fools” by the German satirist, there were 75 of his graphic illustrations. Also in Basel, Dürer created a series of engravings for the book of comedies by Publius Terence, the Roman comedian. Albrecht left Basel for Strasbourg, where he painted his famous “Self-Portrait with a Thistle,” which he sent to his bride.

Return to Nuremberg

Albrecht Dürer, whose paintings were previously painted in the spirit of German flavor, returned to Nuremberg in 1494 with a huge amount of knowledge gained during four years of travel around Europe. Soon he married Agnes Frey, a decent girl, the daughter of Hans Frey, the owner of a workshop of precision measuring instruments. Marriage gave Albrecht the opportunity to open his own business. However, he founded his own workshop in Nuremberg only in 1495, because two months after his marriage he left for Italy, where he began to become acquainted with the work of Giovanni Bellini, an artist of the Venetian school, and Mantegna, who adhered to the sharp and harsh Paduan style of painting. Some of Dürer's paintings were subsequently painted in the same manner. And the landscape sketches made by Dürer later became engravings.

Engravings

Upon returning from Italy, Albrecht Dürer opened his own workshop and devoted the next 10 years to making wood and copper engravings. Collaborating with fellow Nuremberg masters Hans von Kulmbach and Hans Scheufelin, Dürer supplied engravings illustrating editions of Pindar, Holzel and Koberger. Albrecht's works were of a deep thematic nature, their quality was high artistic level. Dürer was considered an unsurpassed master book illustration. In 1498, the publisher Koberger published the book "Apocalypse", which included 15 woodcuts by the graphic artist, including "The Four Horsemen" and "The Battle of the Archangel Michael with the Dragon." Durer's painting "Apocalypse" is considered his best work. The theme, which unites 15 scenes into a single whole, was brilliantly reflected by the artist. Each engraving seems to be a continuation of the previous one and precedes the next one. And much later, in 1514, he created a mysterious copper engraving called “Melancholy”. Dürer depicted a bored angel on it, who, apparently, are also characterized by emotional experiences.

Painting

"Apocalypse" brought Albrecht Durer worldwide fame, and Durer's "Melancholy" entered the golden fund of fine art. Next major work The artist's book "The Passion of St. Brigid", which included 30 engravings. In addition to working on illustrations of modern books, Dürer also created engravings for the works of ancient authors such as Aristotle and Theophrastus, Aristophanes and Lucian. While engaged in graphics, Albrecht did not abandon painting; Dürer’s paintings periodically appeared in the field of view of the general public. Also in 1497-1499, he painted portraits of: Albrecht Dürer the Elder, the artist’s father, Elector of Saxony Frederick III, Oswald Krel, a trading agent. One of the most bright works The painting "The Adoration of the Magi" is considered to be one of Durer's paintings. Next comes the “Dresden Altarpiece” and “Seven Sorrows” - an extensive polyptych.

Venice

In 1505, Dürer again left for Italy. In Venice, he painted "The Festival of Rose Wreaths", but the painting was created not on a traditional canvas, but on a poplar board, with the prospect of placing it in the Church of San Bartolomeo next to the German trading house Fondaco dei Tedeschi. Famous German merchants commissioned the painting. Currently, the "Feast of Rose Wreaths" is in The era of that time is marked by the works of great masters, Titian, Palma Vecchio, Giorgione. However, Albrecht Durer gravitated towards the work of Giovanni Bellini, who was for him an example of inimitable color. In the end, he became friends with the Italian painter and, at his request, painted one of his Venetian paintings, “Madonna and the Siskin.” Another work created during Dürer's stay in Venice, Christ Among the Teachers, may also have been dedicated to Albrecht's friend.

Bologna

Regardless of his friendship with Giovanni Bellini, Dürer was a respected and revered man in Venice. The city council intended to detain the talented painter, offering him 200 ducats as an annual bonus. It was assumed that Albrecht Dürer would participate in city projects. However, the artist’s plans did not include a settled life; he sought to learn something new for himself, and for this he needed to constantly travel. After some time, Dürer found himself in Rome, where he hoped to meet Emperor Maximilian. The meeting did not take place, and Albrecht went to Bologna to visit the university and meet the scientists. He was interested in issues of perspective, having studied which he could structure his paintings more rationally. Consultations with a mathematician and then long conversations with an architect replenished the artist’s knowledge, and Dürer’s paintings became more and more grandiose.

Dürer Albrecht (1471—1528) -

German artist

Albrecht Durer. Self-portrait at 26, 1498

Born May 21, 1471 in Nuremberg. At first, the young man was taught jewelry making by his father, and in 1486 he entered the painting workshop of M. Wolgemut, where he adopted the principles of late Gothic. The works performed by Dürer during his educational travels along the upper Rhine (1490-1494) are typical of German art of the 15th century, which combined features of the Gothic and Renaissance.

His compositions are clear, logical and precisely crafted

(“Dresden Altarpiece,” circa 1496;

Paumgartner altar, 1502-1504;

"Adoration of the Trinity", 1511). In “The Adoration of the Magi” (1504) he uses the coloristic achievements of the Venetian school. But unlike the emotional Italians, Dürer is gothically cruel and detailed.

In the series of woodcuts "Apocalypse" (1498), he addressed the theme of the end of the world, anticipating a time of change. In subsequent cycles - “Great Passion” (about 1497-1511), “Life of Mary” (about 1502-1511), “Lesser Passion” (1509-1511), “Saint Eustathius” and “Nemesis” "(1500-1503) - Dürer's skill reaches perfection. But the so-called master engravings of 1513-1514 are rightfully considered the pinnacle of his work. (The Horseman, Death and the Devil, 1513; Melancholies, Saint Jerome, both 1514).

Dürer devoted a lot of time to studying the nude figure; his interest in anatomy was scientific in nature and embodied in copper engravings

(“Adam” and “Eve”, 1504).

He also uses traditional motifs of folk life in his engravings (“Three Peasants,” circa 1497; “Dancing Peasants,” 1514). Dürer also carefully approaches the portrait (“Portrait of a Father”, 1490; “Portrait of a Woman”, 1506; “Portrait of a Mother”, 1514; “Portrait of a Young Man”, 1521; “Portrait of Erasmus of Rotterdam ", 1526).

In 1526, the artist created his last work - a pictorial composition-diptych

"Four Apostles"

Dürer gained an honorable position in his hometown and fame in Germany and abroad. He was friends with the most prominent scientists, received orders from the emperor, princes and rich burghers.

Paintings by Albrecht Durer