Overview

The Italian Renaissance is conventionally thought of as the historical period that bore witness to the rise of the individual. Yet no other artist of the time begins to compare with Albrecht Durer in terms of the almost obsessive interest he displayed in depicting his life, his dreams and his surroundings in his art. Exploring Durer's life and times, the natural world in his work, and his studies, travel and influences, David Ekserdjian closely examines Durer's paintings, as well as his drawings and prints, which are often comparatively overlooked. Revealing Durer's remarkable, unique status, both in his own time and across the centuries, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in Renaissance or northern European art.

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9781789147643

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Reviews

'Ekserdjian’s lively account of the great Renaissance artist from Nuremberg, Albrecht Dürer, shows how his art and autobiography continue to resound across the centuries. Dürer’s fascination with the world around him, whether an elaborate costume study, the brilliant blue of a bird’s wing or the distorted angle of a man’s face, is transferred into narrative prints that have inspired artists from Velázquez to Lucian Freud and remain mesmerizing today.' – Giulia Bartrum, Former Curator of German Prints and Drawings at the British Museum; 'David Ekserdjian’s book on the life and work of Albrecht Dürer portrays the artist vividly and sets him in his historical, artistic and intellectual context. Ekserdjian builds on the fundaments of sources in a comprehensive sense: Dürer's works in prints, drawings and paintings and, equally, his autobiographical and art-theoretical writings. Elegantly written, this book is pure pleasure to read.' – Christof Metzger, Chief Curator at the Albertina Museum, Vienna

'Ekserdjian's lively account of the great Renaissance artist from Nuremberg, Albrecht Durer, shows how his art and autobiography continue to resound across the centuries. Durer's fascination with the world around him, whether an elaborate costume study, the brilliant blue of a bird's wing or the distorted angle of a man's face, is transferred into narrative prints that have inspired artists from Velazquez to Lucian Freud and remain mesmerizing today.' - Giulia Bartrum, Former Curator of German Prints and Drawings at the British Museum; 'David Ekserdjian's book on the life and work of Albrecht Durer portrays the artist vividly and sets him in his historical, artistic and intellectual context. Ekserdjian builds on the fundaments of sources in a comprehensive sense: Durer's works in prints, drawings and paintings and, equally, his autobiographical and art-theoretical writings. Elegantly written, this book is pure pleasure to read.' - Christof Metzger, Chief Curator at the Albertina Museum, Vienna

Author Information

David Ekserdjian is professor of the history of art and film at the University of Leicester and keeper of the university art collection. His books include The Italian Renaissance Altarpiece: Between Icon and Narrative (2021).

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