Northern European Artwork in the 16th Century

             In the 16^th century, numerous styles and ideas from the Italian Renaissance began to spread across Europe. In the north, new techniques from Italy began to merge with earlier northern artistic traditions. One of the most famous northern artists from this period is Albrecht Durer. In his early career, Durer traveled to Italy as a journeyman and studied different artistic styles such as naturalism and humanism. Durer could be compared to the “Renaissance Men” of Italy because of his interest in a multitude of subjects. He later combined various aspects of Italian and Northern artwork to create interesting and innovative pieces. Durer is most famous for his paintings and woodblocks, which can be illustrated by the engraving Adam and Eve and various self-portraits throughout his lifetime.

            In 1504, Albrecht Durer produced an engraving, depicting Adam and Eve just before the fall of man. The scene illustrates the moment Eve took the apple from the snake and gave it to Adam. Although it was forbidden for them to eat the fruit, the couple could not avoid temptation. Within this image there is a combination of northern and Italian styles, influenced by Durer’s time in Italy. Both Adam and Eve are nude because of Durer’s interest in humanism. The couple is quite idealized, which represents the celebration of the human form. Adam and Eve are also positioned in a contrapposto weight shift, an Italian technique that was first utilized in the Classical Era. In addition to these Italian influences, Durer also used many Northern ideals. This engraving is incredibly detailed and there is an obvious interest in texture. Durer utilized shading and crosshatching to make this image more realistic and lifelike. He also included lots of symbols throughout this engraving, which was a prominent northern style throughout history. Some of the animals in this image represent the Four Humors or Temperaments. Within the Garden of Eden, these temperaments are held in balance until Adam takes the apple. These four personality types are represented by the choleric cat, the sanguine rabbit, the phlegmatic ox, and the melancholic ox. 

            Throughout Albrecht Durer’s career, he also created numerous self-portraits. One of his first self-portraits was a gift for his fiancé while he was working in Italy as a journeyman. The painting, which was finished in 1493, was intended to reassure his fiancé that he was doing well. In this portrait, Durer sits in a three quarter pose and is exceptionally dressed. He depicts himself as a wealthy patron in order to gain status in society. Then, in 1498, Durer produced another self- portrait where he is dressed in affluent garb and seated in a three quarter pose. In the background, a window opens up to a vast landscape. The use of a window in his portrait was probably influenced by some of the artwork Durer observed in Italy. Durer created his most well-known and controversial self-portrait in 1500. In this painting, he faces forward in a pose usually reserved for depictions of Jesus Christ. This frontal portrait is direct and confrontational as Durer stares intently at the viewer. There is a Latin inscription on the painting that represents Durer’s interest in humanism and his level of education. The “immortal colors” utilized by Durer make this painting even more haunting and similar to a depiction of Christ.

            As you can see, Albrect Durer was an incredibly talented and revered artist throughout Northern Europe. He was the first artist to combine various Italian and northern artistic styles to create innovative pieces. His combination of techniques led to revered artwork that is still enjoyed and marveled at today.