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Albrecht Durer Master Printmaker
The illustration and discussion of over two hundred prints from the permanent collection of the Musuem of Fine Arts, Boston, provide a survey of Dürer's development as a printmaker and explore the problem of judging the quality of impression of his prints. To facilitate the discussion of quality, many of the illustrations are actual size photographed from the originals and reproduced with fidelity by The Meriden Gravure Co. Fine, well-preserved impressions are compared to poorly-preserved fine impressions or to impressions printed from worn plates or blocks. Dürer's stylistic and technical development is traced by examining chronologically his individual prints; his series, such as the Apocalypse; and his illustrated books. The introduction discusses pertinent aspects of his life and describes intaglio and woodcut techniques with which he worked. The lavish illustrations and extensive text provide a framework for understanding and appreciating Albrecht Dürer, Master Printmaker.
294 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1971
About the author
Eleanor A. Sayre
6 booksEleanor Axson Sayre (March 26, 1916 – May 12, 2001) was an American curator, art historian, and a specialist on the works of Goya.
She was the first woman to serve as departmental curator at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. She was known during her lifetime as the "foremost American authority on Goya's graphic work".
She was the first woman to serve as departmental curator at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. She was known during her lifetime as the "foremost American authority on Goya's graphic work".
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April 29, 2022
Albrecht Dürer: Master Printmaker is a beautiful book that showcases the impressive catalogue of Dürer prints maintained in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All told, there are 221 examples from their collection included, consisting of engravings, woodcuts, etchings, and even two drypoints. The prints are arranged in rough chronological order which allows the reader to see Dürer's style evolve in front of their eyes.
There are three factors which make elevate this book from merely an exhibition of beautiful art to an edifying resource. First, is the introduction which delivers a succinct explanation of the diverse methods of printmaking and the stylistic development of Dürer’s prints over the course of his life. Before reading this book, I was wholly ignorant on all of these matters, and though I am far from being an expert after reading through this book, I now have a fundamental understanding of this art form. Moreover, reading the introduction provided me with a superior experience with the rest of the book because I was able to recognize certain details and nuances that I would not have known to look for otherwise.
The second factor that defined my experience with this book might seem to be a minor detail, but it was something I valued. That is, the vast majority of Dürer’s prints were reproduced here with their true dimensions. It should be a given that a book about prints should be well printed, but sadly I have not always found that to be the case. I should mention that a few of the largest of his woodcuts and engravings are reduced slightly—ultimately constrained by the book’s size—but in general they are faithful to the originals. Not only does this fidelity give the reader an accurate impression of the prints, but it allows them to appreciate the true skill of this famous master artist. The amount of detail in his prints, even the smallest of them is astonishing.
Finally, the defining characteristic of this book—indeed of the museum’s collection—is the presentation of multiple impressions of varying quality for many of the prints. Over the course of a wood block or metal plate’s lifetime, it would wear and deteriorate from the repeated stresses of printing. The myriad forms of damage would ultimately impair Dürer’s original conception of the piece and reduce the clarity of the print. Not only that, but the skill of the printer in inking and wiping the block or plate could dramatically affect the final result. One of the Museum of Fine Art’s core philosophies for this collection is that “a well-stocked print room should contain not only the finest examples of prints by great and minor masters but should have, as often as possible, contrasting examples of the same print” (ix). After finishing this book, I agree wholeheartedly. It was fascinating to see very fine and very poor examples of the same print. These duplicates forced me to see the art form of printing in its true aspect, viz. that of a medium designed to be reproduced countless times until expiration. Prints are not paintings, but before reading this book I viewed them in the same way.
Each print, in fact each impression, comes with its own accompanying description, often only a few paragraphs in length. These descriptions mostly remark upon the quality of the impression rather than interpreting the symbolism, iconography, or meaning in the print. I appreciated this approach, as, although I probably could have benefited from explanations of the biblical scenes, I often find prose descriptions of art rather tiresome and futile.
Viewing Dürer’s prints in this book is such a superior experience to looking at them on a computer screen. If you are in any way interested in the prints of Albrecht Dürer, you would do well to find a copy of this book.
There are three factors which make elevate this book from merely an exhibition of beautiful art to an edifying resource. First, is the introduction which delivers a succinct explanation of the diverse methods of printmaking and the stylistic development of Dürer’s prints over the course of his life. Before reading this book, I was wholly ignorant on all of these matters, and though I am far from being an expert after reading through this book, I now have a fundamental understanding of this art form. Moreover, reading the introduction provided me with a superior experience with the rest of the book because I was able to recognize certain details and nuances that I would not have known to look for otherwise.
The second factor that defined my experience with this book might seem to be a minor detail, but it was something I valued. That is, the vast majority of Dürer’s prints were reproduced here with their true dimensions. It should be a given that a book about prints should be well printed, but sadly I have not always found that to be the case. I should mention that a few of the largest of his woodcuts and engravings are reduced slightly—ultimately constrained by the book’s size—but in general they are faithful to the originals. Not only does this fidelity give the reader an accurate impression of the prints, but it allows them to appreciate the true skill of this famous master artist. The amount of detail in his prints, even the smallest of them is astonishing.
Finally, the defining characteristic of this book—indeed of the museum’s collection—is the presentation of multiple impressions of varying quality for many of the prints. Over the course of a wood block or metal plate’s lifetime, it would wear and deteriorate from the repeated stresses of printing. The myriad forms of damage would ultimately impair Dürer’s original conception of the piece and reduce the clarity of the print. Not only that, but the skill of the printer in inking and wiping the block or plate could dramatically affect the final result. One of the Museum of Fine Art’s core philosophies for this collection is that “a well-stocked print room should contain not only the finest examples of prints by great and minor masters but should have, as often as possible, contrasting examples of the same print” (ix). After finishing this book, I agree wholeheartedly. It was fascinating to see very fine and very poor examples of the same print. These duplicates forced me to see the art form of printing in its true aspect, viz. that of a medium designed to be reproduced countless times until expiration. Prints are not paintings, but before reading this book I viewed them in the same way.
Each print, in fact each impression, comes with its own accompanying description, often only a few paragraphs in length. These descriptions mostly remark upon the quality of the impression rather than interpreting the symbolism, iconography, or meaning in the print. I appreciated this approach, as, although I probably could have benefited from explanations of the biblical scenes, I often find prose descriptions of art rather tiresome and futile.
Viewing Dürer’s prints in this book is such a superior experience to looking at them on a computer screen. If you are in any way interested in the prints of Albrecht Dürer, you would do well to find a copy of this book.
Displaying 1 of 1 review