2 Durer
Germany, the Holy Roman Empire, at 15-16 centuries was a low-centralised, yet powerful state. Its economy flourished and Italian Renaissance ideas spread across the Alps. Nuremberg , Bavarian prosperous city and the centre for publishing was at the heart of the German Renaissance. Here lived and worked Albrecht Durer, the son of a honoured master-goldsmith who had come from Hungary and settled in Nuremberg. Durer had showed his artistic talent at a young age: some of his early works including his earliest self-portrait at the age 13 and the Madonna with Musical Angels have survived and are considered as masterpieces. Originally trained as a goldsmith, Durer became an apprentice to Michael Wolgemut at the age of 15 in 1486, who had “the biggest workshop for altars and woodcut illustrations.” 1 At time of Durer’s apprenticeship, “The Nuremberg Chronicle” was published by Wolgemut, containing about 2000 woodcuts, and it is believed that “Dürer may have worked on some of these”.4 After completing his apprenticeship, Durer went on Wanderjahre,…show more content… Durer’s paintings are preceded with sophisticated drawings and etchings, as we have seen in the example of Adam and Eve, whereas Rembrandt uses quick rough sketches to record the visual impressions using ink and red and black chalks. Rembrandt used etching technique, covering the plate with wax and drawing on it with a needle. The needle removes wax and the copper layer is uncovered. The acid is the applied to get into the uncovered copper plate, transferring the etching onto it.6 The difference between the etching and the engraving is noticeable by the character of the lines but it is the composition that strikes the viewer first and the
