Today’s Mood, Melancholia
Albrecht Dürer’s ‘Melancholia’ is one of those important images that sets a precedent, melding art with science, psychology and philosophy.
In 1514, Albrecht Dürer presented an image of startling originality. The style, composition, and subject were all strange yet the technical skill of the copper engraving couldn’t be denied. The art of the engraver was entrenched in tradition, both of subject and technique, but Dürer flouted such preconceptions. He created a poetic image crammed with symbolism, some of which is established and open to interpretation, whilst some is cryptic and clearly personal. It resembles a Tarot card and similarly invites the viewer to read it and ponder occult meanings…
Melancholia is personified as a winged angelic figure, seated to the right of the picture, one hand supporting her head and the other holding a pair of dividers. At her right shoulder, sitting on a millstone, is a much smaller winged figure, representing her muse or ‘genius’, which is similarly inactive. There’s a sleeping dog curled at her feet — it looks underfed — and the instruments and tools of creation lay scattered about.
A sphere represents a perfect form and the irregular block may be an imperfect or unfinished sculpture. In the wall behind her is a magic…
