2. The Genius of the German Renaissance 1471-1528
Albrecht Dürer
The Genius of the
German Renaissance

3. Albrecht Dürer was born on May 21, 1471 in Nuremberg, Germany.

4. This is the house in which Albrecht lived
This is the house in which Albrecht lived. He was the third child and second son in a family of 18 children.

5. Dürer’s father was a goldsmith and his mother was the daughter of a goldsmith. By the age of 13, Dürer had been trained by his father in the craft of making beautiful jewelry. However, Dürer decided he wanted to be a painter.

6. This is a self portrait he completed at age 13
This is a self portrait he completed at age 13. Because Dürer displayed such skill in drawing, his father apprenticed him to a local painter when he was 15. Dürer studied for several years with this master.

7. At age 23, Dürer married Agnes Frey
At age 23, Dürer married Agnes Frey. Then he traveled to many cities and foreign countries to meet and study with other artists. Dürer was one of the first artists to record his travels in paintings and letters to his friends.

8. famous for his oil paintings,
Dürer became
famous for his oil paintings,
watercolors,
drawings, copper
engravings and
woodcuts.

9. Dürer signed and dated his works of art which was uncommon at the time
Dürer signed and dated his works of art which was uncommon at the time. He even designed a monogram in 1497.

10. Dürer was one of the first artists to paint directly from nature and not just from memory. After over 500 years he remains one of the greatest realists.

11. Dürer created detailed paintings, drawings, and prints that emphasize line.

12. Dürer’s subjects included studies of nature, people, landscapes, religious themes and portraits.

13. Dürer was the leading artist of the German High Renaissance and the first European artist outside Italy to become internationally famous.

14. Dürer was a life-long student and loved knowledge as much as he loved to paint. He wrote books on geometry, proportion, perspective and art theory. He completed nearly 100 paintings, more than 1,000 drawings and at least 100 woodcuts and engravings. He died a wealthy man at age 56 in 1528.

15. “The View of Arco” is a watercolor painting of a castle on top of an interesting mountain with a small village below. Dürer painted hidden faces throughout this rugged landscape. We will reproduce this painting for Pageant of the Arts in the spring.

17. In the early 1500’s King Emanuel of Portugal received a rhinoceros as a gift. A man who was visiting Portugal sent Albrecht a sketch and description of the animal. Dürer had never actually seen a rhinoceros when he made this piece of art! Dürer drew the lines of the image on a block of wood, and then he carved away the wood around the image, leaving raised lines. Many prints could be made by inking the woodcut and pressing it onto paper. Dürer was the first artist to use printmaking as a major art form.

19. Artists sometimes use lines and patterns to show texture
Artists sometimes use lines and patterns to show texture. Patterns are made when lines and shapes are used over and over again.

20. You will make an outline drawing of a creature or animal
You will make an outline drawing of a creature or animal. You will draw lines through the animal to create different shapes. Then you will fill in the shapes with a variety of lines and different patterns to show implied texture.

26. Add color around each of your monogram designs in the same manner as Dürer painted to resemble the colors of an agate.