16th Century Art in Northern Europe and the Iberian Peninsula Images

Question 1

Title: Self-Portrait
Location: Munich
Time Period: 1500
Medium: Oil on wood
Artist: Albrecht Dürer

Answer 1

1. Appears to resemble Jesus but Albrecht signed the painting
   - Origin of copyright
2. An example of artistic hubris
   - In its time, the portrait was admired for its resemblance
   - Not seen as blasphemous but rather an attempt to become as close as possible with Jesus
3. Considered to be an elevation of as an artist, implying that he was working under the inspiration of God
   - Created a sense of of artists being seen as intellectual and of divine talent
4. The viewer is not meant to only admire but the painting, but to feel it
   - ex. Dürer is feeling the fur on his jacket
   - Proves the northern mastery of oil painting

Question 2

Title: Adam and Eve
Location: Connecticut
Time Period: 1504
Medium: Engraving
Artist: Albrecht Dürer

Answer 2

1. A metal engraving: fine details are carved into the metal, the ink fills the lines and transfer to paper
2. Received early training as a goldsmith, evident in his attention to detail
3. An example of his intensive studies of Roman antiquity
   - A result of his interest in Italian and ancient art
4. Likely an example of the Vitruvian man
   - Taking the “ideal” body and placing it in a picture
5. Intended to be sold and widely disseminated

Question 3

Title: Garden of Earthly Delights (open)
Location: Madrid
Time Period: c. 1505-1515
Medium: Oil on wood panel
Artist: Bosch

Answer 3

1. A secular commission despite being an altarpiece and founded on Christian belief
   - i.e. the natural state of human sinfulness
2. Meant to inspire conversation, a type of entertainment
3. Aspects:
   a) Left Panel - Creation of Adam and Eve (how they created sin)
   b) Center Panel - Various scenes of indulging in the pleasure of sin
   c) Right Panel - Depicting how indulging in sinful pleasures leads to hell

Question 4

Title: The French Ambassadors
Location: London
Time Period: 1533
Medium: Oil on wood
Artist: Hans Holbein the Younger

Answer 4

1. Appointed court painter for Henry the VIII in 1532
   - He created a series of portraits of nobles and diplomats associated with the Tudor court
2. The painting exemplifies the international interaction of the Tudor court
   - A German painter rendered two French diplomats while in England
3. Holbein shows off his virtuosity and attention to detail, invoking van Eyck or Durer
   - Presence of anamorphosis (artist using skills to hide an image within an image)
   - There is a skull but it can only be viewed from a specific angle
4. Many objects in the painting reflect the intellectual gifts and symbolize the political achievements of the ambassadors
   - The objects reference the conflict between European states and with the Catholic church and implies that the ambassadors will apply their diplomatic skill to come to find a resolution