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Self-Portrait (Dürer, Munich)

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of a conventional background seemingly presents Dürer without regard to time or place. The placement of the inscriptions in the dark fields on either side of Dürer are presented as if floating in space, emphasizing that the portrait has a highly symbolic meaning. Its sombre mood is achieved through the use of brown tones set against the plain black background. The lightness of touch and tone seen in his earlier two self-portraits has been replaced by a far more introverted and complex representation.
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looks. Dürer turned 28 around 1500, the time of this work. In the medieval view of the stages of life, 28 marked the transition from youth to maturity. The portrait therefore commemorates a turning point in the artist's life and in the millennium: the year 1500, displayed in the centre of the upper left background field, is here celebrated as epochal. Moreover, the placing of the year 1500 above his signature initials, A.D., gives them an added meaning as an abbreviation of
248:. Both are believed to be self-portraits, although they are not named as such. However, artist historians believe that since they bear remarkable similarities to his known self-portraits – including prominent eyes, a narrow mouth with a full upper lip, and the shape of both the nose and indent between lip and nose – that Dürer intended to represent himself in these works. 226:. Typically he was shown with a short beard, moustache and brown parted hair. Dürer has rendered himself in this manner, and gives himself brown hair, despite his other self-portraits showing his hair as reddish-blond. The painting so closely follows the conventions of late medieval religious art that it was used as the basis for depictions of Christ in a woodcut by 205:. The Latin inscription, composed by Celtes' personal secretary, translates as: "I, Albrecht Dürer of Nuremberg portrayed myself in appropriate colours aged twenty-eight years". A further interpretation holds that the work is an acknowledgement that his artistic talents are God-given. Art historian 153:
and his queens, perhaps under instruction to use the pose. Late medieval and Early Renaissance art had developed the more difficult three-quarters view, and artists were proud of their skill in using it; to viewers in 1500 and after, a frontal pose was associated with images from medieval religious
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Dürer's face has the inflexibility and impersonal dignity of a mask, hiding the restless turmoil of anguish and passion within. In its directness and apparent confrontation with the viewer, the self-portrait is unlike any that came before. It is half-length, frontal and highly symmetrical; its lack
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of c. 1520. This was perhaps intended to be passed off as a print by Dürer from the start, and in later printings bears a very large Dürer monogram, though this appears to have been added to the block several decades later; it was accepted by most experts as a Dürer until the 19th century. In the
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The self-portrait is of a markedly more mature Dürer than both the 1493 Strasbourg self-portrait and the 1498 self-portrait which he produced after his first visit to Italy; in both of these earlier paintings he had highlighted his fashionable hairstyle and clothing and played on his youthful good
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The self-portrait is most remarkable because of its resemblance to many earlier representations of Christ. Art historians note the similarities with the conventions of religious painting, including its symmetry, dark tones and the manner in which the artist directly confronts the viewer and raises
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In 1500, a frontal pose was exceptional for a secular portrait. In Italy the conventional fashion for profile portraits was coming to an end, but being replaced with the three-quarters view which had been the accepted pose in Northern Europe since about 1420, and which Dürer used in his earlier
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The portrait was likely donated or sold by Dürer to the Nuremberg city council. It was probably on continuous public display in Nuremberg from just before Dürer's death in 1528 until 1805, when it was sold to the Bavarian royal collection. It is now in the
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What may have been intended as one at the end of his life was made as a woodcut by another artist, Erhard Schön. Strauss speculates that Dürer made the drawing and his widow passed it to Schön to cut. See Strauss,
284:. He also inserted self-portraits in other paintings, and made self-portrait drawings, although, he did not portray himself in any of his prints. At least twelve self-portrait images survive, as well as the lost 111:. Painted early in 1500, just before his 29th birthday, it is the last of his three painted self-portraits. Art historians consider it the most personal, iconic and complex of his self-portraits. 303: 1279: 1450: 344: 1434: 1571: 952: 847: 757: 324: 1566: 788: 1165: 331: 132: 1263: 991: 871: 209:
wrote that "to seeing the frontal likeness and inward curved left hand as echoes of, respectively, the "A" and nestled "D" of the
1208: 804: 864: 819: 781: 665:»dan sӳ machten dy vürtrefflichen künstner reich«. Zur ursprünglichen Bestimmung von Albrecht Dürers Selbstbildnis im Pelzrock 369: 724: 515: 1202: 1327: 244: 796: 904: 273:, Germany. Nuremberg had had a copy made a few years earlier, which replaced the original on display in the City Hall. 1215: 1007: 944: 1239: 683: 658: 641: 624: 603: 586: 1223: 960: 1173: 888: 351: 1561: 1523: 983: 750: 1157: 310: 1359: 936: 276:
Dürer was highly conscious of his self-image, and painted two earlier self-portraits: one in 1493 now in the
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Renaissance Portraits, European Portrait-Painting in the 14th, 15th and 16th Centuries
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featured at the right ... nothing we see in a Dürer is not Dürer's, monogram or not."
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often portrayed Christ looking directly at the viewer, especially when shown as
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67.1 cm × 48.9 cm (26.4 in × 19.3 in)
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Dürer presents himself in similar poses and expressions in both his 1498
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his hands to the middle of his chest as if in the act of blessing.
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von Fricks, Julian. "Albrecht Dürer the Elder with a Rosary". In:
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The Complete Engravings, Etchings and Drypoints of Albrecht Dürer
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self-portraits. Fully frontal poses remained unusual, although
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Dürer deliberately portrays himself in a manner that invokes
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The Moment of Self-Portraiture in German Renaissance Art
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next century, the face was used for Christ again, in a
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The Virgin and Child with a Flower on a Grassy Bench
462: 1543: 1435:Portrait of the Artist's Mother at the Age of 63 751: 154:art, and mostly above all images of Christ. 1280:Joachim and Anne Meeting at the Golden Gate 678:. Chicago: Chicago University Press, 2003. 758: 744: 27: 669:Anzeiger des Germanischen Nationalmuseums 130:, drawing of 1491–92. This study for the 1166:Portrait of the Artist Holding a Thistle 698:, Volume 6, No. 2, October 1975, 26–36. 676:The Invention of Art: A Cultural History 332:Portrait of the Artist Holding a Thistle 255: 181: 133:Portrait of the Artist Holding a Thistle 122: 460: 415: 413: 1544: 865:Hercules Killing the Stymphalian Birds 598:. London: British Museum Press, 2002, 456: 454: 452: 233:Christ and the Woman Taken in Adultery 739: 653:. University of Chicago Press, 1996. 394: 392: 390: 260:Inscription from the right mid ground 410: 16:1500 self-portrait by Albrecht Dürer 797:Portrait of Frederick III of Saxony 789:Portrait Diptych of Dürer's Parents 634:Albrecht Dürer: A Guide to Research 449: 370:List of paintings by Albrecht Dürer 13: 1216:The Holy Family with the Dragonfly 1008:Portrait of Hieronymus Holzschuher 913:Portrait of a Young Venetian Woman 765: 612:. London: Thames and Hudson, 1960. 469:. et al. Time-Life Books. p.  387: 280:, and another in 1498, now in the 14: 1583: 1567:Collection of the Alte Pinakothek 1497:Albrecht Dürer the Elder (father) 1240:Saint Michael Fighting the Dragon 731: 235:of 1637 by Johann Georg Vischer. 1572:Self-portraits by Albrecht Dürer 1224:The Holy Family with Three Hares 1034: 961:Portrait of Emperor Maximilian I 953:Virgin and Child with Saint Anne 820:Portrait of Dürer's Father at 70 343: 323: 302: 1524:Alte Pinakothek (Self-Portrait) 984:Portrait of Bernhart von Reesen 581:. London: Phaidon Press, 1995. 557: 547: 538: 529: 520: 508: 495: 1158:Self-Portrait at the Age of 13 712:. Dover Books, New York, 1972. 486: 477: 440: 431: 422: 401: 311:Self-Portrait at the Age of 13 177: 118: 1: 1455: 1416: 1401: 1264:Saint Sebastian at the Column 1124: 1101: 1086: 1071: 1056: 973: 937:Martyrdom of the Ten Thousand 878: 854: 838: 809: 695:The Sixteenth Century Journal 596:Albrecht Dürer and his Legacy 465:The World of Dürer: 1471–1528 380: 251: 96:Self-Portrait at Twenty-Eight 1016:Portrait of Johann Kleberger 805:St. Jerome in the Wilderness 505:sometimes given to the work. 7: 1312:Knight, Death and the Devil 636:. New York: Garland, 2000. 363: 128:Self-portrait with a pillow 10: 1588: 1507:Anton Koberger (godfather) 570: 492:In an essay in Bartrum, 27 295: 242:and 1503 charcoal drawing 1515: 1484: 1468: 1427:Wing of a European Roller 1370: 1328:Saint Jerome in His Study 1192: 1149: 1043: 1032: 992:Saint Jerome in His Study 773: 461:Russell, Francis (1967). 72: 64: 53: 45: 35: 26: 21: 1352:Large Triumphal Carriage 1139:Adoration of the Trinity 1024:Portrait of Jakob Muffel 969:Portrait of Jakob Fugger 905:Christ Among the Doctors 630:Hutchison, Jane Campbell 240:Christ as Man of Sorrows 174:, which included Dürer. 1067:Seven Sorrows Polyptych 945:The Suicide of Lucretia 245:Head of the Dead Christ 1562:15th-century portraits 1476:Albrecht Dürer's House 1397:Madonna of the Animals 1082:Paumgartner Altarpiece 503:Self-Portrait in a Wig 261: 194: 137: 889:Adoration of the Magi 873:Lamentation of Christ 849:Lamentation of Christ 834:Lot and His Daughters 259: 185: 166:by the circle of the 151:Henry VIII of England 126: 1502:Hans Dürer (brother) 897:Bagnacavallo Madonna 663:Schmidt, Sebastian. 199:depictions of Christ 168:Renaissance humanist 1389:Great Piece of Turf 1360:Portrait of Erasmus 1182:Self-Portrait at 28 1174:Self-Portrait at 26 1112:Feast of the Rosary 708:Strauss, Walter L. 647:Koerner, Joseph Leo 352:Self-portrait at 26 193:, late 15th century 149:painted several of 1492:Agnes Dürer (wife) 1296:Life of the Virgin 1132:Matthias Grünewald 1052:Dresden Altarpiece 262: 195: 138: 105:German Renaissance 1539: 1538: 1527:(2000 photograph) 1120:Heller Altarpiece 1097:Jabach Altarpiece 1000:The Four Apostles 782:List of paintings 725:978-0-500-23883-7 717:Van Eyck to Durer 615:Campbell, Lorne. 218:medieval painting 86: 85: 1579: 1552:Self-portraiture 1460: 1457: 1443:Head of a Walrus 1421: 1418: 1406: 1403: 1248:The Four Witches 1203:List of woodcuts 1129: 1126: 1106: 1103: 1091: 1088: 1076: 1073: 1062:–1497/1503–1504) 1061: 1058: 1038: 978: 975: 883: 880: 859: 856: 843: 840: 814: 811: 760: 753: 746: 737: 736: 690:Dürer as Christ? 577:Bailey, Martin. 564: 561: 555: 551: 545: 542: 536: 533: 527: 524: 518: 514:Bartrum, 82–83; 512: 506: 501:Hence the title 499: 493: 490: 484: 481: 475: 474: 468: 458: 447: 444: 438: 435: 429: 426: 420: 417: 408: 405: 399: 396: 375:Self-portraiture 347: 327: 306: 203:imitating Christ 103:painting by the 31: 19: 18: 1587: 1586: 1582: 1581: 1580: 1578: 1577: 1576: 1542: 1541: 1540: 1535: 1511: 1480: 1464: 1458: 1419: 1404: 1372: 1366: 1256:The Sea Monster 1194: 1188: 1161:(drawing, 1484) 1145: 1127: 1104: 1089: 1074: 1059: 1039: 1030: 976: 881: 857: 841: 812: 769: 764: 734: 729: 688:Smith, Robert. 674:Shiner, Larry. 608:Brion, Marcel. 592:Bartrum, Giulia 573: 568: 567: 562: 558: 552: 548: 544:Bartrum, 41, 78 543: 539: 534: 530: 525: 521: 513: 509: 500: 496: 491: 487: 482: 478: 459: 450: 445: 441: 436: 432: 428:Campbell, 81–86 427: 423: 418: 411: 406: 402: 397: 388: 383: 366: 359: 357:Museo del Prado 348: 339: 337:Musée du Louvre 328: 319: 318:drawing, Vienna 307: 298: 282:Museo del Prado 278:Musée du Louvre 267:Alte Pinakothek 254: 187:Blessing Christ 180: 121: 77:Alte Pinakothek 17: 12: 11: 5: 1585: 1575: 1574: 1569: 1564: 1559: 1557:1500 paintings 1554: 1537: 1536: 1534: 1533: 1531:Dürer (crater) 1528: 1519: 1517: 1513: 1512: 1510: 1509: 1504: 1499: 1494: 1488: 1486: 1482: 1481: 1479: 1478: 1472: 1470: 1466: 1465: 1463: 1462: 1447: 1439: 1431: 1423: 1408: 1393: 1385: 1376: 1374: 1368: 1367: 1365: 1364: 1356: 1348: 1340: 1336:Triumphal Arch 1332: 1324: 1316: 1308: 1300: 1292: 1284: 1276: 1268: 1260: 1252: 1244: 1236: 1228: 1220: 1212: 1198: 1196: 1190: 1189: 1187: 1186: 1178: 1170: 1162: 1153: 1151: 1150:Self-portraits 1147: 1146: 1144: 1143: 1135: 1116: 1108: 1093: 1078: 1063: 1047: 1045: 1041: 1040: 1033: 1031: 1029: 1028: 1020: 1012: 1004: 996: 988: 980: 965: 957: 949: 941: 933: 925: 917: 909: 901: 893: 885: 869: 861: 845: 828:Haller Madonna 824: 816: 801: 793: 785: 777: 775: 771: 770: 767:Albrecht Dürer 763: 762: 755: 748: 740: 733: 732:External links 730: 728: 727: 713: 706: 686: 672: 671:, 2010, 65–82. 661: 644: 627: 619:. Yale, 1990. 613: 606: 589: 574: 572: 569: 566: 565: 556: 546: 537: 528: 519: 507: 494: 485: 476: 448: 439: 430: 421: 409: 400: 385: 384: 382: 379: 378: 377: 372: 365: 362: 361: 360: 349: 342: 340: 329: 322: 320: 308: 301: 297: 294: 288:Dürer sent to 253: 250: 223:Salvator Mundi 216:Late Northern 207:Joseph Koerner 179: 176: 120: 117: 109:Albrecht Dürer 84: 83: 74: 70: 69: 66: 62: 61: 55: 51: 50: 47: 43: 42: 40:Albrecht Dürer 37: 33: 32: 24: 23: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1584: 1573: 1570: 1568: 1565: 1563: 1560: 1558: 1555: 1553: 1550: 1549: 1547: 1532: 1529: 1526: 1525: 1521: 1520: 1518: 1514: 1508: 1505: 1503: 1500: 1498: 1495: 1493: 1490: 1489: 1487: 1483: 1477: 1474: 1473: 1471: 1467: 1453: 1452: 1448: 1445: 1444: 1440: 1437: 1436: 1432: 1429: 1428: 1424: 1414: 1413: 1412:Praying Hands 1409: 1399: 1398: 1394: 1391: 1390: 1386: 1383: 1382: 1378: 1377: 1375: 1369: 1362: 1361: 1357: 1354: 1353: 1349: 1346: 1345: 1341: 1338: 1337: 1333: 1330: 1329: 1325: 1322: 1321: 1317: 1314: 1313: 1309: 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813: 1496 563:Bartrum, 77 526:Bartrum, 78 446:Koerner, 39 437:Koerner, 65 178:Iconography 160:Anno Domini 119:Description 1546:Categories 1381:Young Hare 1344:Rhinoceros 1272:Visitation 1232:Apocalypse 1209:engravings 1195:engravings 419:Brion, 170 407:Bailey, 38 398:Bailey, 68 381:References 252:Provenance 65:Dimensions 1371:Drawings, 774:Paintings 535:Smith, 34 1130:) (with 875:(Munich) 364:See also 355:, 1498. 335:, 1493. 314:, 1484. 292:c 1515. 211:monogram 170:scholar 164:saeculum 73:Location 1516:Related 1469:Museums 921:Avarice 704:2539742 571:Sources 554:220–223 296:Gallery 290:Raphael 286:gouache 107:artist 99:) is a 57:Oil on 1485:Family 1446:(1514) 1438:(1514) 1430:(1512) 1392:(1503) 1384:(1502) 1363:(1526) 1355:(1522) 1347:(1515) 1339:(1515) 1331:(1514) 1323:(1514) 1315:(1513) 1307:(1511) 1283:(1504) 1275:(1503) 1267:(1500) 1251:(1497) 1243:(1498) 1235:(1498) 1227:(1496) 1219:(1495) 1185:(1500) 1177:(1498) 1169:(1493) 1142:(1511) 1115:(1506) 1107:–1504) 1027:(1526) 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Index


Albrecht Dürer
panel
Alte Pinakothek
Munich
panel
German Renaissance
Albrecht Dürer

Portrait of the Artist Holding a Thistle
Hans Holbein
Henry VIII of England
Anno Domini
saeculum
Renaissance humanist
Conrad Celtes

Hans Memling
depictions of Christ
imitating Christ
Joseph Koerner
monogram
medieval painting
Salvator Mundi
Sebald Beham
Head of the Dead Christ

Alte Pinakothek
Munich
Musée du Louvre

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