The San Francisco call., 1899-11-21

impulses of the young man who was des-
tined to shed so grand a luster on his
country's name.
Art fourished only modestly in the rude
middle ages in a country like Germany
where the social side OF life was unde-
veloped and where nature herself was
none too kind to man. or national life at
that time there was little; small princi-
palities, each dominated by a petty
Prince. preyed upon each other and made
conditions that were far from fostering
art. However, in the two free imperial
cities OF Nuremberg and Augsberg there
developed the greatest pair OF artists OF
which Germany boasts and among those
which the world has yet produced. One
was Hans Holbein, the other. the subject
Of this paper, was Albrecht Durer, no
less able as a painter than as an engraver,
though better known 70 posterity by mis-
skill in the latter direction. Genuine,
original, inventive and dexterous TO a
marvellous degree, he initiated no man,
but blazing a path for himself he set an
example for generations OF artists TO
come to whom he has been an Inspiration.
a guide and shining example. All this
he accomplished in a modest manner or
/ the pure love Of his art: he was ambi
/
desirous only TO excel in his profession as
a master worker; he cared little for hon
ors, and went his way modestly, striving
/ ever to perfect his technique. TO improve
I his drawing and 70 widen his scope In
painting. He lived a life of great use
/ fulness and probity, and dying left behind
\ him the splendid fruits Of his labor, every
scrap OF which is now priced as pre-
/ cious- memento Of a veritable master OF
/ his art.
| Above all, It must be remembered that
| AIbrecht Durer was a pioneer in his art.
| for before his time little had been done
/ TO popularize art In his country or make
/ IL a factor in the life Of the times. lie
not only stands out with the utmost prom
I inence in the history of Germany, but he
has left an imprint on the whole history
/ OF art since his time, and this IS some
| thing that may be said Of few men. The
! story of his life, though simple, is inter-
( esting and worth the telling, and his own
words may be quoted In excuse. In draft
Of a book on proportion ION whifn Iafiar ne Ii R1p
/ with the help OF God. set forth the little
/ l have learned, though II Will seem Dut
a poor thing to many. But TINS does not
! trouble me for / know well that IL Is
easier TO find fault with thing than to
make something better.
Durers family was OF hungarian ori-
! gin His father came 10 Nuremberg In
4 1850 and Albrecht, who was born in l4l,
ON May q, was one of eighteen children.
only three Of whom grew up. the others
/ diving early. The father became proml-
/ nently identified with the art OF the gold
| smith, and as soon as Albrecht was old
enough he was set at the same trade Al
though he had small interest In TINS Work,
he labored diligently, and pleased MS
/ father so much that when he finally con-
/ fessed his discomfort with goldsmithing
I and his desire to become a painter his
/ wishes were respected and he was ap-
/ prenticed TO the painter Michel Wolge
NUT, one of the few in that guild In the
| ancient city, but also the best. There is
! preserved In the Albertina collection in
/ Vienna a drawing made by Albrecht at
/ the age of l3, done in silver point, a like
! ness OF himself. which shows remarkable
| talent and already knowledge OF the
! handling of his medium so characteristic
/ of the man in later lie
/ Gutenbergs great invention OF printing
was brought from Mayence TO Nurem-
berg. and Albrechts MASTER, Wolgemut,
with his partner, Pleydenwurff, were later
/ employed to make illustrations for books
/ published about 1890. Thus the young
man was profoundly interested and
/ brought in close contact with such work
! I'm which he was shortly to excel. IN 1889
his apprenticeship terminated. and his
father sent him off for four-year wan
could in relation TO his art. Such was
the custom at that time. He visited vari-
/ Gus German towns and studied for while
/ with a brother Of the famous Martin
| Schongauer, the most distinguished en-
! graver OF his day. who. though dead. had
left traditions which his brother carried
/ out I'm the school established by the IA
nous man. Finally he arrived at Venice,
! where he made the close acquaintance OF
. JacOpo del Babari, one Of the leading
\ painters in Venice before Giorgione and
/ Titan Rarbari was also an engraver.
/ and he first introduced Durer 10 the pro-
/ portions and measurement Of the human
! body as a subject for study. While in
Venice Durer painted a charming portrait
| OF himself which is now In the collection
/ of Herr Eugen Felix at Leipzig. He was
/ summoned home by his father, who had
arranged a marriage for him with Agnes.
/ the daughter of one Hans Frey, who gave
| as a dowry with the young woman 200
/ gulden.
| The ceremony took place July T. 14g1
/ and Durer turned for a livelihood TO en-
craving working on copper at first. The
{ compositions were Of Biblical or allegorf-
! cal subjects. as was the manner of the
/ times and which had a popular interest
Many OF them were from the Apocalypse
/ The omniprcsence and omnipOtence OF
! Death, which had so powerful a hold on
the popular Imagination at this date
were also frequent themes with Durer
/ These works were instantly successful and
found a ready sale: indeed, they were al
most Immediately pirated and copies were
put upon the market. The drawing i'm
/ each case was appealing and IL was fiIli
/ OF sentiment and imagination. delightft,IIv
executed and quite novel in the manner ~
| handling. fact that the public was NOT
slow to recognize. Between times ne
painted and in this he was far more in
! terested; but there was not always a de-