Albrecht Durer : Self-Portraits
A Color-Driven Mind Map of Artistic Development
Howard Brown III
Throughout history, numerous artists have left their unique and aesthetically distinct marks on the vast landscape of the creative world, and some of them continue to influence many modern artists today. This paper seeks to shed light on Albrecht Durer, an artist who possessed exceptional artistic abilities that were considered by many to be divine gifts. To explore and document the various artistic evolutions that he underwent throughout his life, a color-driven mind map of his self-portraits has been created.
The first picture on the map is a self-portrait that Durer drew with a silver point at the tender age of 13. Despite his youth, Durer skillfully captured his likeness with great precision, without any reference images. The background of this area is colored in a soft yellow to symbolize innocence and new beginnings.
Pictures #2 and #3 were self-portraits that Durer drew in pen and ink around the age of 20, which exhibit a similar art style and overall aesthetic. It is thought that these two study pieces came about from Durer’s early travels, during which his father sent him away to study under a more experienced artist. The background of this area is colored with a deeper, more concentrated yellow that gradually fades into a yellow-green to convey a sense of growth and maturity.
Picture #4 is believed to be Durer’s first fully realized oil-based self-portrait, conceived when he was only 22 years old. The portrait is decorated in vivid colors that were not present in his earlier works, and it is believed that his father found him a bride and ordered him to paint a self-portrait to send to her. The background of this area is colored in a dark, solid green to symbolize the now fully matured Durer entering adulthood and becoming a skilled master of his craft.
Picture #5 is believed to be Durer’s second oil-based portrait, after his second trip to Italy. The portrait features even more characteristics that were absent from his earlier works, including an actual setting in the background. The composition shows Durer possibly inside a building or structure with a window-like opening situated in the upper right, through which a greater sense of the setting is depicted. The background of this area is colored in orange to symbolize his newfound confidence, adventurous spirit, and creativity.
Picture #6 is arguably Durer’s most famous self-portrait, in which he is facing the viewer directly, exhibiting an unwavering demeanor. This is the first time in Durer’s self-portrait series that he is likening himself intentionally to Jesus Christ, possibly indicating his belief that he is divinely gifted, or his devout Christian faith. The background of this area is colored in a harsh red to symbolize the very bold, climactic pinnacle of his self-portrait series, and as a reference to Christ’s blood and his death on the cross.
Picture #7 shows Durer’s first nude painting in his self-portrait series, depicted from an unconventional perspective. At the time, Durer was interested in drawing the naked human form, but was doing so at a time where the practice was not well-received in Germany. The background of this area is colored in blue to symbolize an interesting change of pace in Durer’s artistic pursuits, and a sense of vulnerability as he depicts himself nude.
Picture #8 depicts Durer as a sorrowful old man, portraying a sense of decline, diminishing ambition, and old age. This picture stands out as the opposite of the controlled hunger and creative ambition present in his earlier works, most notably the transition of growth through all three of his major oil-based self-portraits. The background of this area is colored in a soft gray fading from blue to convey the sentiment of decline.
Picture #9, the last of the series , is a self-portrait created for a doctor to show where Durer was experiencing pain in his body. It is believed that he was exposed to a disease on one of his many travels, which stayed with him until his passing. The background of this area is colored in pure white to symbolize the end of an era, but also the endless possibilities of future artists that would be inspired by Durer's works.
Durer was undeniably one of the greatest artists of his generation. Through his visual representations of himself, he not only showcased his exceptional artistic gifts but also communicated his mental, spiritual, physical, and emotional states at different stages of his life. Artists like Durer do not die; rather, their essence lives on through the boundless limits of history, inspiring present and future generations.