Dürer

Phaidon Colour Library

by Martin Bailey

Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) was one of the greatest artists of the Northern Renaissance, remarkable for the range and versatility of his work. His woodcuts and engravings made him famous throughout Europe and he is still regarded as one of the most brilliant printmakers of all time. Dürer was equally successful at religious and secular subjects, painting magnificent altarpieces and powerful portraits. He also produced an impressive range of drawings and watercolours in a variety of media.

The son of an Hungarian goldsmith, Dürer grew up in Nuremberg, a town half-way between the Netherlands and Italy, and he found inspiration in the work of the painters of both these major artistic centres of his time. But rather than simply imitating what others were doing, Dürer was very much an innovator; he is the first artist who is known to have produced a self-portrait and to have done a landscape painting of a specific scene.

Includes 88 illustrations, 48 in colour.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1995

Reviews

[Eric]

Albrecht Durer gained fame for his amazingly detailed and dramatic woodcuts, such as “The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse”. After viewing the 47 full page, sharp and boldly colored images in this book, I am convinced he is one of the greatest portrait painters. His varying and imaginative poses, natural color and ability to capture subtle aspects of expression make each portrait seem almost modern, despite being 500 years old. His 3rd and final self portrait is truly amazing to behold, down to the reflections in his eyes, making Durer a worthy rival for Leonardo da Vinci. Phaidon has done excellent work with this volume from their Colour Library. The biographical text and notes with each plate are well written and add to the enjoyment of Durer’s very wide ranging art.

[Michael Heath-Caldwell]

Thin, soft cover, purple.

[sologdin]

i love durer, but godsdammit if he ain't a self-centered bastard--volume includes three self-portraits, all of which affect a jesus pose.

[Rose]

A good overview of the artist & his work.