Durer: Paintings (Colour Plates)

Albrecht Dürer was certainly the most significant painter and engraver of the Northern Renaissance. Living in Nuremberg, between Netherlands and Italy, he found inspiration in the two most important centers of art at his time. But instead of simply imitating, Dürer goes own way of discoverer. He has published hundreds engravings. At least 60 of his paintings have also survived and there are a thousand of his drawings and watercolors. The range of his work is just amazing. His woodcarvings made him famous all over Europe, and he is considered the best master in this area. As a painter, Dürer has the equal success as in the paintings of religious topics, also in those with secular topics. He painted portraits as well as altars. His drawings and watercolors even today strike us with a variety of techniques and were painted with an almost phenomenal precision. To summarize in just few words - Dürer is one of the most prominent figures for the development of the whole European painting.