Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)

### Education

Albrecht Dürer started an apprenticeship in his father's workshop at the age of 13, but showed such exceptional talent as a draughtsman that he was apprenticed to the painter Michael Wolgemut at the age of 15. He remained in Wolgemut's workshop for almost four years, and toward the end of his apprenticeship, he produced his first dated painting, the portrait of his father Albrecht Dürer the Elder of 1490.

### Occupation

Renaissance artist, mathematician, and theorist

### Family

Father: Albrecht Dürer the Elder
Mother: Barbara Holfer

Siblings: had 17 siblings, most of whom died in childhood.

### Shoe Size

Albrecht Dürer's foot was found, which showed that his foot was 27.3 cm long, giving a modern German shoe size of between size 40 and 41. In 1974, shoes were made from this pattern in Germany, and they showed that Dürer would have taken modern size 41 (UK 7, US 8.5).

### Best Known For

Being a German Renaissance artist, mathematician, and theorist who lived during the 15th and 16th centuries.

## About

Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) was a German artist, painter, printmaker, and theorist of the German Renaissance. He was born in Nuremberg, one of the strongest artistic and commercial centres in Europe during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Dürer was a brilliant painter, draftsman, and mathematician who established his reputation through his high-quality woodcuts and engravings. His vast body of work includes altarpieces, religious works, numerous portraits and self-portraits, and copper engravings. Dürer was the second son of the goldsmith Albrecht Dürer the Elder, who had left Hungary to settle in Nuremberg in 1455, and of Barbara Holper, who had been born there. Dürer began his training as a draughtsman in the goldsmith’s workshop of his father. His precocious skill is evidenced by a remarkable silverpoint self-portrait made in 1484 when he was only 13 years old. Dürer's talent manifested itself early, and both his skill as a draftsman and a self-awareness highly unusual for the time can be seen in his works. Dürer was also a mathematician and wrote several treatises on geometry, perspective, and ideal proportions. His manual of geometric theory for students, Underweysung der Messung, includes the first scientific treatment of perspective by a northern European artist. In his last years, Dürer became increasingly involved in his theoretical writings. The Teaching of Measurements was completed in 1525 and followed by Various Instructions of the Fortifications of Towns, Castles, and Large Villages in 1527. His last and most important treatise, Four Books on Human Proportions, was published posthumously in 1528. Dürer's talent, ambition, and sharp, wide-ranging intellect earned him the attention and friendship of some of the most prominent figures in German society. He became the official court artist to Holy Roman Emperors Maximilian I and his successor Charles V, for whom Dürer designed and helped execute a range of artistic projects.

## Early Life and Education

Albrecht Dürer was born on May 21, 1471, in Nuremberg, Holy Roman Empire. He was the third child and second son of his parents, who had at least fourteen and possibly as many as eighteen children. His father, Albrecht Dürer the Elder, was a successful goldsmith who had moved to Nuremberg from Ajtós, near Gyula in Hungary in 1455. Dürer started his first training as a goldsmith in his father's shop, but his talent manifested itself early, and both his skill as a draftsman and a self-awareness highly unusual for the time can be seen in the silverpoint Self-Portrait made in 1484 when he was thirteen years old. In 1486, Dürer became an apprentice in the workshop of the painter Michael Wolgemut, where he would remain for almost four years. Toward the end of his apprenticeship, he produced his first dated painting, the portrait of his father Albrecht Dürer the Elder of 1490. Dürer's contributions to art include groundbreaking innovations in perspective and anatomy, intricate engravings, and paintings. He is widely considered to be one of the most talented artists of his time, and his works are still celebrated and studied today.

## Career

Albrecht Dürer was a renowned German Renaissance artist, mathematician, and theorist who lived during the 15th and 16th centuries. He is widely considered to be one of the most talented artists of his time, and his works are still celebrated and studied today. Dürer's contributions to art include groundbreaking innovations in perspective and anatomy, intricate engravings, and paintings.

## Personal life

Albrecht Dürer married Agnes Frey in 1494, the daughter of a prosperous merchant who set him up in his own workshop, but they did not have children.

## Relationships

Albrecht Dürer married Agnes Frey in 1494, but they did not have children. One of Dürer's brothers, Hans Dürer, was also a painter and trained under him. Another of Albrecht's brothers, Endres Dürer, took over their father's business and was a master goldsmith. Dürer's godfather was Anton Koberger, who left gold smithing to become a printer and publisher.

## Filmography

There are documentaries and films that celebrate his life and work. For example, “Albrecht Dürer: Image of a Master” is a documentary that explores Dürer's life and art, while “Dürer” is a 2021 film that portrays him as a pop star of his time. Additionally, there is a documentary that celebrates Dürer as a “great realistic artist and fierce humanist, who contributed to East Germany's national cultural heritage”.

## Awards and legacy

Albrecht Dürer's legacy is significant and far-reaching. He is widely considered to be one of the most talented artists of his time, and his works are still celebrated and studied today.