Albrecht Durer Essay

2. Albrecht Dürer was an accomplished painter and graphic artist. He produced art for publishers and wealthy patrons, but his self-portraits are stunning explorations of his own identity. How do Dürer's self-portraits help us understand the changing role of the artist. Perhaps, think about Humanism and the rise of the middle class as well.

In our modern-day philosophy, we assume it’s natural to consider ourselves as distinctive, independent individuals. We have confidence in our irreplaceable, individual identity. Self-portraits of artists like Rembrandt, Picasso, and Van Gogh are key testaments in the respect of artistic individualism. Where conventional histories of art have plainly or subtly supposed the stress on artistic individualism starting in the Renaissance, current critical theory has stressed that the formation of the person is in reality a production with a precise social history. We intentionally or unintentionally style our individualities out of the choices our cultural contexts give.

Debate of the initial modern formation of the artist must

In this self-portrait, he is postured self-confidently, his face and neck radiant from the light in the room. His clothes are highly decorated, the white shirt with an embroidered collar sitting low on his chest to show his collarbones. His jacket seems to match his black-and-white striped hat. His highly decorated clothing portrays him as an aristocrat, which is elevating his class, as the conventional view during that time was the artist was a craftsman. Overall, the self-portrait has elements of both his artistic pride and individual pride, influences from humanism. This work commemorates the strength of the individual and upraises what self-portraits are anticipated to represent: not simply the appearance and prominence of its creator, but the fundamental concept of painting