Sunday, January 12, 2020

"To The Marvelous Energy" - Albrecht Durer "Art Lies In Nature"


When Richard and I visited England in October, we went to the Towner Art Gallery in Eastbourne. They have a collection of books there and like a small library, you are welcomed into a room with tables and lamps and there you may read those books to your heart's content. (Ah, "to your heart's content"...that is an old fashioned phrase that I have not heard in years but it fits here, so I shall use it!)  What marvelous books! Many of them were quite old.  One that I took from the shelf was "Albrecht Durer" by LJA ie Allen. (That is what it said!)  It was published in 1903 by William Brendon and Sons LTD, Plymouth.   Here is the quote that I wrote down, I loved it so...."To the marvelous energy, untiring hand and virile mind that whether working amongst his familiar friends...or seeking new ideas in strange lands, ever sought to carry out his favorite axiom, that 'art lies in nature'."

Albrecht Durer (1471-1528) was one of the greatest German Renaissance artists. Here is something that I found written about him..."He created altarpieces and religious works, numerous portraits and self portraits, copper engravings and woodcuts but also about nature."
That is my emphasis on the last three words there because nature was so casually mentioned but it seems to me that nature meant a great deal to the artist.  He believed that nature which is God's creation was the very source of art.  Here is a quote from the man himself, "Never imagine that you can or should attempt to make something better than God has allowed his created nature to be. For your ability is impotent compared to God's creativity."

"The Great Piece of Turf" is a water color painting that he completed in 1503.   The detail is amazing. It looks as if he looked at each blade of grass with a microscope which would have been impossible of course, microscopes not being invented yet.  I know you want to see the painting! The best I can give you is a video...

There is also a very famous painting that he did of a hare...
And of the hands clasped in prayer...

To the marvelous energy that produced such works of art, I am grateful.



26 comments:

  1. I really like Durer, there are many of his works which absolutely fascinate me. So much detail! The turf painting is gorgeous.

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    1. How fitting that you have the first comment, you are so knowledgeable about art and have such good taste! I knew you would like him!

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  2. I've loved Albrecht Durer's "Young Hare" since I first saw a cheap print of it when I was an adolescent 50 years ago. I bought that print and still have it, after all this time, lol. He is one of my most favourite artists still. I'd love to see the "Young Hare" in real life! I've seen prints made from his woodprints in Canadian art galleries but that's it.

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    1. Just goes to show, you had good taste in art then, and you do now too! When I become a billionaire, I will buy it for you, Debra and come to your house and admire it with you! Sounds good?

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  3. Wouldn't it be nice to have that much talent? My mother-in-law loved The Praying Hands and told me the story behind the original sculpture. It is one for you to research.

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    1. I have read that story and some say that it is only a myth but I often find that those "myths" turn out to later to be proved true! And yes, it would be so very nice to have talent like that.

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  4. Albrecht Dürer used to be on our tenner when we still had the Deutschmark, so every German who was old enough to handle money in pre-Euro times is very familiar with his face and his long curly hair!
    Also, the street where my Mum grew up and her parents (my grandparents, of course) used to live until their death was Albrecht-Dürer-Straße here in Ludwigsburg.
    I am currently reading Leonardo Da Vinci's biography, and I believe that Dürer's mindset worked pretty similar to Leonardo's. Both fascinating men.
    Have you seen the drawing he made of his mother?

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    1. He was on your 10 Deutschmark! That must have been his self portrait on the bill, it looks like a photograph, it is so detailed. And your Mum grew up on Albrecht Durer Street! I suppose she knew his name just after she learned her own!
      Da Vinci, a true genius also! (Born on my birthday, just saying.)
      I just looked up the drawing of his mother, I wonder what she had to say about it?

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  5. Always have like fun the hare portrait. Sounds like a good trip.

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    1. It was a good trip, over too soon as always.
      And the hare portrait is amazing, look up the rhino one too.

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  6. Nature is full of energy and bursting with art.

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  7. Not someone I've came across before but a fine artist.

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    1. Look him up! He really is fascinating. When I saw that little book, I had to take it down from the shelf and read as much as I could.

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  8. I never heard of Durer until now. He must have been a great artist, but not as well known as Da Vinci.

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    1. http://www.artcyclopedia.com/feature-2003-02.html

      I found something written about exhibits regarding Da Vinci and Durer at the Met in New York and the British Museum in London in 2003. I have the link above. It is fascinating!

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  9. He was amazing, and i really like that quote!

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    1. I know! You should have seen me with those books. I bet they thought an alien had just landed and never had seen books before!

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  10. Durer is an artist whose work I really love. I appreciate his intense observation of the beauty of humble things which are not so humble at all but part of the joy of everyday life. The turf painting is magnificent in its powerful quiet way.

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    1. I knew you would love him too! I have a header photo of Arabia Mountain and I chose that one because many of those grasses and plants remind me very much of the painting "The Great Turf"!
      If you look at my reply to GIGI in Hawaii, copy and paste that I have on there, I think you will find it just as interesting as I do!

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  11. I admire artists that can capture a moment in time with such detail that even a photograph can't do it justice. I've always felt that when an artist creates a painting, drawing, or sculpture, they leave a bit of their soul with it..a little something that gives it life...a spirit if you will. I remember one October when Dad and Mom took us camping. It was a beautiful fall weekend and on Sunday, a day when we would usually be at Mass, Dad took us on a hike. He said he always felt closer to God in the outdoors than in Church. I think he was trying to justify us not actually being in church. However, I never forgot that great time and totally agree with him!

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    1. Thank you so much for this comment! How does one define art? How can you explain it? And I think that it is all connected with our spirit, our very souls.
      That is a lovely story of being with your Dad and him saying he felt closer to God in the outdoors. We were created for the garden.

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  12. Durer's Praying Hands featured in our house from when I was a child. I think Mum tried copying them a few times.

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    1. What a lovely thing to see on the wall as a child.
      If you notice, the video I have of the painting actually shows you how to draw it, if you can stand the American accent, that is. :-)

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  13. Dear Kay, thank you for his homage to Durer. For the past thirty years, I had a small framed print of Durer's hare. Always, when I look at it, a feeling of calm comes upon it. It is a great piece of art. A gift to all of us from his genius. Peace.

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    1. A gift to all of us from his genius! Exactly so!
      Thanks very much for your comment, Dee! As always, I can only give hints of how much I admire someone, I am in awe of art like this.

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