The artist's work was based on knowledge of the exact sciences, such as geometry, urban planning, astronomy. At the same time, engravings and paintings by Albrecht Durer are imbued with a deep philosophical sound.
Biography
The future artist Albrecht Durer was born in the spring of 1471 into a family of Hungarians who emigrated to Germany. The German artist showed his love for painting early. This prompted the parents to entrust the child to Michael Wolgemut, whose art workshop had an impeccable reputation. Under his tutelage, the 15-year-old boy makes his debut not only as a painter, but also as an engraver.
Albrecht continues to gain experience while traveling across Europe. In Colmar, he makes a close acquaintance with the sons of Martin Schongauer, whose work Albrecht Durer constantly admired. A wide range of ideas and interests allowed Dürer to occupy his own niche among book printers and humanists. The volume of the artistic heritage left by him is estimated at 900 sheets of images, which is comparable to the work of Rembrandt and Leonardo da Vinci.
Dürer's career
The very first serious order of the master was the painting of the house of Sebald Schreier. She was so successful that she attracted the attention of wealthy patricians of Nuremberg, each of whom sought to order his portrait from Dürer. In imitation of the European tradition, all of his models were depicted against the background of a landscape in a three-quarter spread. The main working materials were watercolor, silver point and pencil.
Having opened his own painting workshop in his homeland, the artist begins to devote a special place in his craft to engravings. Experimenting with various techniques, the master achieved that in 1498 he received an order from the famous publication "Apocalypse". The woodcuts made have brought the author wide fame throughout Europe. The Venice Council, wishing to leave the creator in Italy, offered him a very large reward, but loyalty to the homeland turned out to be stronger.
The meeting with the crowned special Maximillian I became decisive for the creative genius. The latter, for the excellent work on the portrait, appointed the artist an impressive prize, which allowed Dürer to completely immerse himself in engraving and scientific research. The fine art of Northern Europe in the 16th century is unthinkable without artwork distinguished by the recognizable style of this German artist.
Personal life
Opposing the institution of marriage, Albrecht Durer eventually marries. This actually happens at the insistence of the father. The wife of Agnes Frey was always cold to art and did not understand the creative nature of her husband. Throughout their life together, in which there was no place for offspring, the married couple remained emotionless in relation to each other.
