Portrait of the Artist Holding a Thistle (or Eryngium) is an oil painting on parchment pasted on canvas by German artist Albrecht Dürer. Painted in 1493, it is the earliest of Dürer's painted self-portraits and has been identified as one of the first self-portraits painted by a Northern artist.[1] It was acquired in 1922 by the Louvre in Paris.[2]
Dürer looks out at the viewer with a psychologically complex but rather melancholy and reserved, serious minded, facial expression. During the 15th century, thistles were symbols of male conjugal fidelity.[3]
The date and the plant in the artist's hand seem to suggest that this is a betrothal portrait (Brautporträt). Dürer has in fact depicted himself in the act of offering a flowering spray identified by botanists as Eryngium amethystinum: its German name is "Mannestreue", meaning conjugal fidelity. Resembling the thistle (from which the portrait's title), this umbelliferous plant is used in medicine, and is regarded as an aphrodisiac.[5] It may also have religious significance; the same plant in outline form is inscribed in the gold ground of Dürer's painting Christ as the Man of Sorrows (1493–94).[4]
Dürer was temperamentally inclined to philosophical doubts. He often analysed his own face in drawn or painted effigies – sometimes idealizing it, sometimes not. The lines written beside the date in this painting reveal the philosophical and Christian intention of the work:
Myj sach die gat Als es oben schtat.
In other words (and liberally): My affairs follow the course allotted to them on high. Marriage has in part determined his destiny – the Bridegroom puts his future life in the hands of God.[6]
In 1805, Goethe saw a copy of this portrait in the museum at Leipzig and described it as of "inestimable value."[7] According to Lawrence Gowing, who calls this "the most French of all his pictures", the Portrait of the Artist Holding a Thistle is singular among Dürer's paintings as "the touch is freer and color more iridescent than in any other picture one remembers".[2]
Eser, Thomas. "Dürers Selbstbildnisse als 'Probstücke'. Eine pragmatische Deutung". In: Menschenbilder. Beiträge zur Altdeutschen Kunst, ed. by Andreas Tacke and Stefan Heinz, Petersberg 2011, p. 159–176
Schauerte, Thomas. "Dürer. Das ferne Genie. Eine Biografie". Stuttgart: Reclam, 2012.
Schmidt, Sebastian: "„dan sӳ machten dy vürtrefflichen künstner reich“. Zur ursprünglichen Bestimmung von Albrecht Dürers Selbstbildnis im Pelzrock". In: Anzeiger des Germanischen Nationalmuseums 2010, p. 65–82.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Albrecht Dürer.
Dürer's Self-Portrait at the Louvre
Catholic Encyclopedia: Dürer
Bild zeichnen lassen
January 01, 1970
portrait, artist, holding, thistle, eryngium, painting, parchment, pasted, canvas, german, artist, albrecht, dürer, painted, 1493, earliest, dürer, painted, self, portraits, been, identified, first, self, portraits, painted, northern, artist, acquired, 1922, l. Portrait of the Artist Holding a Thistle or Eryngium is an oil painting on parchment pasted on canvas by German artist Albrecht Durer Painted in 1493 it is the earliest of Durer s painted self portraits and has been identified as one of the first self portraits painted by a Northern artist 1 It was acquired in 1922 by the Louvre in Paris 2 Portrait of the Artist Holding a ThistleArtistAlbrecht DurerYear1493TypeOil on vellum transferred to canvas ca 1840 Dimensions56 5 cm 44 5 cm 22 2 in 17 5 in LocationLouvre Paris Durer looks out at the viewer with a psychologically complex but rather melancholy and reserved serious minded facial expression During the 15th century thistles were symbols of male conjugal fidelity 3 Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 3 1 Sources 4 Further reading 5 External linksHistory editIn 1493 Durer was 22 years old and working in Strasbourg He had completed his apprenticeship with Michael Wolgemut and his tour as a journeyman and would marry Agnes Frey on 7 July 1494 4 The date and the plant in the artist s hand seem to suggest that this is a betrothal portrait Brautportrat Durer has in fact depicted himself in the act of offering a flowering spray identified by botanists as Eryngium amethystinum its German name is Mannestreue meaning conjugal fidelity Resembling the thistle from which the portrait s title this umbelliferous plant is used in medicine and is regarded as an aphrodisiac 5 It may also have religious significance the same plant in outline form is inscribed in the gold ground of Durer s painting Christ as the Man of Sorrows 1493 94 4 Durer was temperamentally inclined to philosophical doubts He often analysed his own face in drawn or painted effigies sometimes idealizing it sometimes not The lines written beside the date in this painting reveal the philosophical and Christian intention of the work Myj sach die gatAls es oben schtat dd In other words and liberally My affairs follow the course allotted to them on high Marriage has in part determined his destiny the Bridegroom puts his future life in the hands of God 6 In 1805 Goethe saw a copy of this portrait in the museum at Leipzig and described it as of inestimable value 7 According to Lawrence Gowing who calls this the most French of all his pictures the Portrait of the Artist Holding a Thistle is singular among Durer s paintings as the touch is freer and color more iridescent than in any other picture one remembers 2 See also editSelf portraiture List of paintings by Albrecht DurerReferences edit Fenyo Ivan 1956 Albrecht Durer Budapest Corvina p 16 a b Gowing 1987 p 164 Brion 1960 p 127 a b Wolf 2006 p 28 Botanical herbal note on the eryngium on Botanical com Accessed 13 January 2012 J L Koerner The Moment of Self portraiture in German Renaissance Art University of Chicago Press 1997 H von Einem Goethe und Durer Goethes Kunstphilosophie Hamburg von Schroder 1947 Sources edit Brion Marcel Durer London Thames and Hudson 1960 Gowing Lawrence Paintings in the Louvre New York Stewart Tabori amp Chang 1987 ISBN 1 55670 007 5 Wolf Norbert Albrecht Durer Prestel 2010 ISBN 978 3 7913 4426 3Further reading editBailey Martin Durer London Phaidon Press 1995 ISBN 0 7148 3334 7 Bartrum Giulia Albrecht Durer and his Legacy British Museum Press 2002 ISBN 0 7141 2633 0 Campbell Hutchison Jane Albrecht Durer A Biography Princeton University Press 1990 ISBN 0 691 00297 5 Eser Thomas Durers Selbstbildnisse als Probstucke Eine pragmatische Deutung In Menschenbilder Beitrage zur Altdeutschen Kunst ed by Andreas Tacke and Stefan Heinz Petersberg 2011 p 159 176 Panofsky Erwin The Life and Art of Albrecht Durer Princeton 1945 ISBN 0 691 00303 3 Schauerte Thomas Durer Das ferne Genie Eine Biografie Stuttgart Reclam 2012 Schmidt Sebastian dan sӳ machten dy vurtrefflichen kunstner reich Zur ursprunglichen Bestimmung von Albrecht Durers Selbstbildnis im Pelzrock In Anzeiger des Germanischen Nationalmuseums 2010 p 65 82 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Albrecht Durer Durer s Self Portrait at the Louvre Catholic Encyclopedia Durer Bild zeichnen lassen Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Portrait of the Artist Holding a Thistle amp oldid 1224723305, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
