Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Drawings of Albrecht Dürer
The waywardness of genius, which never progresses on regular lines, must be called to account for this, and probably there is another explanation. We can clearly trace the gradual decay of Diirer's superb artistic powers particularly in his engravings on copper, in his water-colours and wash-drawings, and in his oilpaintings. These techniques are surface methods, and they provide for the possibility of vulgarly realistic, ?at, and uninspired work. Perhaps it is only men possessing particularly robust feeling for style who refuse to allow themselves to be seduced into tri?ing prettiness. But take some technique of an altogether conventional character, such as wood- -engraving or pen- -drawing, and the danger is reduced. Neatness or verisimilitude cannot be achieved by means of these rugged techniques; they do not lay themselves open to trickery, and a man like Durer is not likely to abuse them. Whenever he gives himself up to re?ection he may perhaps lose sight of the true principles of art, but when he handles the working tools, of which he may almost be called the discoverer, and certainly the perfector, he cannot misapply them. The St. Paul and the Hangerséerg are pen-and-ink drawings; the Temptation of St. Antnony is executed in the same wonderful medium as the Green Passion. Durer with pen in hand remains the great master. This work, whether early or late, shows no signs of a foolish desire to imitate nature as closely as may be, no hankering after elegance instead of strength.
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