Comparison Of Adam And Eve Durer

Albrecht Durer is considered to be one a master of the Northern Renaissance as well as possibly being the greatest engraver of all time. All this reverence is well-deserved though, as he is one of the few artists at the time to successfully integrate the stylistic components typical of both the Northern and Italian Renaissance. Durer was born in Nuremberg and was of German-Netherlandish descent (Sayre 257-8). He traveled to Italy twice in his lifetime, once from 1494-1495 and again from 1505-1507 (“Albrecht Durer (1471-1528)) where he studied the works and methodology of Italian Renaissance artists. From these artists, he gained the knowledge and appreciation of depicting the natural world with scientific accuracy. This is exemplified in his …show more content…
The depictions of the four animals, the cat, the rabbit, the ox, and the elk at the feet of the figures represent the medieval theory of the four humors: choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic and melancholic, respectively. (“Albrecht Durer: Adam and Eve”) These humors also represent the seasons of the year as well as other cyclic themes. (“Four Humors”). This deliberate use of symbolism to give more detail to a piece of art is common in the works of Northern painters, a practice that Durer uses here extensively. In contrast the focus of the piece, the nude figures of Adam and Eve, concretely displays Southern Renaissance influences. Southern Renaissance artists such as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci were extremely interested in depicting the “ideal” human body, an idea borrowed from classical Greece. In this piece, the musculature of the bodies and then realistic poses of the figures demonstrate Durer’s great understanding of human anatomy and proportion which he learned through his studies in …show more content…
To create this piece Durer used oil paint, a medium which is often associated with the Northern Renaissance. By using oil paint Durer is able to render infinitesimally small details, such as the faint veins on his hand, or the individual hairs on the fur coat he is wearing. This close attention to detail in attempt to depict the scene as realistically as possible is common with Northern Renaissance artists. However, despite the Northern execution, thematically this piece would identify more with the Southern Renaissance. By using a symmetrical composition, as well as portraying himself with long hair and in a pose that suggests he is “blessing” someone or something, Durer unmistakably resembles Christ. This type of religious iconography, depicting religious figures in identifiable poses, is very common of the Southern