The Graphic Work of Albrecht Dürer
A survey of the prints by the greatest painter of the German Renaissance
Many details of the life of the German Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer have survived into the modern era. This is because the artist kept great notes, as though he himself believed that his own life was something of great import. In addition to his paintings, the artist’s production includes some 105 intaglio prints and 346 woodcuts, making him one of the most prolific graphic artists of the first century of European printmaking. In addition, the distinctive monogram he used to sign his works—visible in the top left corner of his famous self-portrait, may be thought of as an early effort to “brand” his work—an idea that occupied his thoughts throughout his career.
Dürer was born on May 21, 1471 , the third child and second son of a family that included at least 14 children. His father Albrecht Dürer the Elder was a goldsmith who had moved from Hungary to Nuremberg, which was at that time one of the largest cities in the Holy Roman Empire. Dürer’s mother Barbara had been the daughter of the elder Dürer’s master, whom he had taken as a wife when he became a master goldsmith.
