Albrecht Durer and Symbolism

     

Self Portrait

Albrecht Durer is perhaps one of the most admired artists in the history of German art. Classically trained in woodcut and painting under Michael Wolgemut, he is known for his beautiful works. Attention to detail, line, and astounding complexity are the trademarks of Durer’s pieces. However, what many viewers fail to consider, is the imagination and mastery with which Durer crafted symbolism in to each creation. Durer was extremely inventive as an artist, pushing the limits of print making. This quality also came through in his art; using plants, animals, tools, and what appeared to be insignificant objects to add detail and a story to each piece. A few examples of pieces which hold particularly interesting symbolism are Adam and Eve and Melancholia I. 

     Adam and Eve is one of Durer’s most well-known pieces of art. The engraving was created in 1504, and shows the Biblical scene of Adam and Eve accepting the forbidden fruit from the serpent. However, aside from the main characters, there are many other animals placed in the background and foreground. We can see that there are four animals in the lower right; the bull, rabbit, elk, and cat. These animals are meant to be representations of the four humors, or temperaments. In Durer’s modern day, it was believed that every person has all four, but their personality (both strengths and weaknesses) were determined by their most dominant humor. 

     The bull is a phlegmatic humor, being calm and unemotional. The rabbit is sanguine, and is characterized by being sensual, courageous, and hopeful. The elk is melancholic; despondent, sleepless, and irritable. Lastly, the cat is choleric, being cruel, easily angered, and feminine. Which creature/humor do you identify with the most?

     However, these are not the only creatures drawn with symbolism. The mouse beneath Adam represents male weakness. Above him, the parrot is the reminder of salvation (an antidote to the serpent). The serpent himself displays evil, and the goat lust and damnation. So while this piece may seem like a dynamic visual of the garden of eden at first glance, further examination shows that it is truly an emotional depiction of the spiritual layers within the scene.

     In his 1514 piece Melancholia I, created 10 years later, Durer uses a wider range of objects to provide symbolism. As shown in Adam and Eve, “melancholic” is a part of the four humors. It is considered the least desirable humor because it is characterized by depression, apathy, and insanity. The one advantage being that those being dominantly melancholic are creative and intelligent. Trades traditionally associated with being melancholic include carpenters, artists, mathematicians, and grammarians. These are the types of things which Durer strives to bring forth in the symbolism of his composition. The hammer is representative of the carpenter, the compass the mathematician, and the putto with notebook the grammarian. Inanimate objects such as the keys, purse, and bell stand for power, wealth, and eternity. The bat represents darkness. In ancient times, the suggested remedy for melancholy was boiled bats. How curious! 

     Durer also incorporates an element of astrology, in that the comet shown is a sign of Saturn. Saturn is known as the god associated with melancholy. Also pictured, the magic square shows an orderliness of numbers, with each line, whether it be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, adding up to 34. This was believed to attract Jupiter, who was thought to be the god who could heal the damage done by Saturn.      Another curious note is that the piece was made in 1514, the same year which Durer’s mother died. 

     Curiosities and symbolism aside, it is a beautiful piece created by the hand of a true master. I believe that these little intricacies give us a window into how Durer thought and felt while creating. However, some of Durer’s work is much less obvious in their symbolism. Below are a few pieces which I found curious - and have left me wondering as to their meanings! What do you think Durer was trying to say with these pieces?

Bearded Child

Catherine Heller with Coat of Arms

Old Bags with Money

Peasant Woman

Madonna and Child

For an Albrecht Durer exerience, visit his home in Tiergärtnertorplatz for a guided tour given by his "wife."

Sources:

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/durr/hd_durr.htm

http://www.clarkart.edu/exhibitions/durer/content/symbolism-melencolia.cfm

http://museums.nuremberg.de/duerer-house/

http://www.albrecht-durer.org/the-complete-works.html

http://www.artchive.com/artchive/D/durer.html