"Dürer’s Fame" @ National Gallery of Scotland

Albrecht Dürer, Adam and Eve, 1504 − National Gallery of Scotland

EDINBURGH.- This summer the National Gallery of Scotland presents a unique display that examines the work of the 16th century German artist Albrecht Dürer and his enduring influence, spanning five centuries. "Dürer’s Fame" showcases a selection of his magnificent prints from the Galleries’ collection, together with contemporary and later copies of his work. These objects will be augmented by a selection of illicit imitations and surprising tributes, including a 21st century tattoo. The exhibition is on view from June 9th through October 11th, 2011.

Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) was the most important artist of the Northern Renaissance and is one of the most celebrated artists of all time. He excelled as a painter and draughtsman, but it was his skill as a printmaker that spread his fame across Europe. The printmaking process allowed for multiple copies of his work to be produced which could easily be sold and distributed. This accessibility, combined with his technical brilliance and highly individual style, made him a much admired and imitated artist.

The display includes many of Dürer’s famous prints, most of which have not been shown in Edinburgh since 1971, like his iconic "Melancholy", "Saint Jerome in his Study" and "Knight, Death and the Devil". To demonstrate the extent of his impact, 'Dürer’s Fame' also displays famous examples by Italian and Netherlandish artists alongside the original works. This includes Marcantonio Raimondi’s "The Circumcision of Christ (from The Life of the Virgin)" and Johan Wierix’s "Melencolia" of 1602.

In addition this exhibition includes works by the Scottish artists John Runciman (1744-1768/69) and William Bell Scott (1811-1890), whose response to Dürer’s art is less well known. , was inspired by Dürer’s woodcut of the same subject. Whilst Scott’s painting, of 1854, imagines Dürer seeking inspiration on the balcony of his house in Nuremberg, highlighting his romanticized reputation in the 19th century.

The display concludes by considering Dürer’s continuing relevance in the 21st century. An example of work from an installation which filled a Nuremberg square with 7,000 plastic hares in 2003, and a poster of German handball star Pascal Hens sporting a tattoo based on Dürer’s "Study of Praying Hands" will demonstrate the artist’s enduring influence today.

Albrecht Durer, Melencolia I, 1514. Engraving on paper: 23.90 x 16.80 cm. National Gallery of Scotland

 

Albrecht Durer, Saint Anthony. Engraving on paper: 9.60 x 14.30 cm. National Gallery of Scotland

Albrecht Durer, 'The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse' from 'The Apocalypse: Revelation of Saint John the Divine', about 1497, Woodcut on paper, 39.20 x 28.20 cm (to edge of block). National Gallery of Scotland

"Display and Art History: The Dusseldorf Gallery and Its Catalogue" @ the Getty Research Institute at the Getty Center

The Quack Doctor, Düsseldorf, ca. 1768–ca. 1775. Jean-Victor Frédou de la Bretonnière (French, b. 1735) After Gerrit Dou (Dutch, 1613–1675) Red chalk, graphite, pen, and ink. Getty Research Institute (870670).

LOS ANGELES, CA.- Display and Art History: The Düsseldorf Gallery and Its Catalogue illustrates the making of one of the earliest modern catalogues, La galerie électorale de Dusseldorff (1778), a revolutionary two-volume publication that played a significant role in the history of museums and helped mark the transition from the Baroque to the Enlightenment.

Constructed by Elector Palatine Johann Wilhelm II von der Pfalz between 1709 and 1714, the Düsseldorf gallery is an early example of exhibiting an art collection in a nonresidential structure. It charted the course toward what would eventually become the institution of the public museum. The Düsseldorf gallery featured a new system of display in which the arrangement of objects was determined by art historical principles such as style and school, rather than subject. Published in the second half of the eighteenth century, the Düsseldorf catalogue represented this new display in numerous etchings; the accompanying text sought to educate a broader circle of readers.

Display and Art History: The Düsseldorf Gallery and Its Catalogue, on view at the Getty Research Institute at the Getty Center from May 31 through August 21, 2011, showcases the exquisite watercolors, red chalk drawings, and architectural elevations that were used to produce this revolutionary catalogue. The exhibition explores their role in the printmaking process and underscores their value as precious works of art created by accomplished draftsmen.

“We are most fortunate to have an almost complete set of preparatory drawings in our archives, which allows for the reconstruction of this ambitious enterprise and reflects a pivotal moment in the history of art as well as the history of the art museum,” says Thomas Gaehtgens, Director of the Getty Research Institute.

Prince-elector Johann Wilhelm II assembled one of the most important European art collections of the eighteenth century. He constructed a gallery to exhibit his nearly 400 paintings, 46 of which were by Peter Paul Rubens. At the time, many princes were reorganizing their substantial collections in order to convey the message that they not only possessed a wide variety of artistic treasures but were also able to care for them properly and make them available for study.

A generation later, Prince-elector Carl Theodor von der Pfalz, Johann Wilhelm’s nephew and successor, commissioned Lambert Krahe, director of the Düsseldorf Academy and gallery, to rehang the paintings collection following its storage during the Seven Years’ War (1756-63). Krahe broke with the Baroque tradition of decoratively covering entire walls with paintings. Instead, he displayed the paintings in a didactic, symmetrical arrangement ordered by schools, thus introducing a completely new and modern system of organizing art. Rather than hanging paintings frame-to-frame, Krahe integrated space between them, preserving their identity as separate works of art. This new display encouraged viewers to draw comparisons.

The Düsseldorf catalogue similarly fostered learning and education, in addition to celebrating the prestige of the collector. Produced by court architect Nicolas de Pigage, printmaker Christian von Mechel, and linguist Jean-Charles Laveaux, the catalogue illustrates Krahe’s display of paintings on the gallery walls. Unlike earlier catalogues that only provided brief inventories, Pigage’s publication offers an analysis of each painting that was aimed at an educated public.

“In this sense, the catalog was very much a work of the Enlightenment, and the princely gallery, accessible to interested visitors, became more like a museum as we understand it today,” says Gaehtgens.

Louis Marchesano, the GRI’s Curator of Prints and Drawings, adds,”The catalogue no longer simply represented princely magnificence; it now also fostered aesthetic reflection and art historical education.”

Display and Art History is co-curated by Thomas Gaehtgens, Director of the Getty Research Institute, and Louis Marchesano, the GRI’s Curator of Prints and Drawings. They also co-authored an accompanying book, Display and Art History: The Düsseldorf Gallery and Its Catalogue.

View of a Dealer’s Picture Gallery Düsseldorf, ca. 1768–ca. 1775. Jean-Victor Frédou de la Bretonnière (French, b. 1735) After Wilhelm Schubert van Ehrenberg (Flemish, 1637–ca.1676) Wash, graphite, pen, and ink. Getty Research Institute (870670).

Woodcuts: Collection from Albrecht Dürer to Tal R @ the National Gallery of Denmark

Albrecht Dürer (1471 - 1528), The Trinity. The Royal Collection of Graphic Art, 1511, 389 x 282 mm.

COPENHAGEN.- While the world is experiencing an ever-increasing influx of new media, the Royal Collection of Graphic Art directs attention to one of the oldest mediums around. A medium, moreover, which remains very much alive and continues to attract the attention of the most innovative strata of contemporary art.

The spring exhibition at the Royal Collection of Graphic Art at the National Gallery of Denmark provides a comprehensive introduction to the technique and functions of woodcut. Woodcut is the oldest known graphic technique, and the exhibition homes in on the most significant periods in the history of the medium. Featuring more than 100 specially selected works from the Collection of Graphic Arts, the exhibition shows a range of rarely seen prints by lesser-known artists alongside works by some of the leading figures within art history, including Dürer, Altdorfer, Titian, Gauguin, Kandinsky, Nolde, Jorn, Baselitz, and Tal R.

Focusing on highlights
The exhibition addresses the development of woodcut from medieval times to the present day. It does not, however, present the full chronology of woodcut; rather, it places special emphasis on those periods where woodcut played a prominent part among the vanguard of art. The first period dates back to the late 15th cen-tury where woodcut began to move away from the simple, plane-oriented idioms of the Middle Ages towards the more three-dimensional and highly complex mo-tifs of the Renaissance. After the 16th century developments within woodcut ground to a halt, prompting the exhibition to jump ahead in time to the 19th century, which yet again saw major developments within the technique: A variant of woodcut – wood engraving – is invented, and early Modernists adopt woodcut and take it in new, groundbreaking directions. The exhibition unfolds those two periods before our eyes, using them as a springboard to point ahead to an artist who represents the woodcut of our own time: Tal R.

A new approach
The underlying premise of the exhibition is unconventional in the sense that it highlights the medium itself rather than specific artists or themes from art history. It reveals the many functions served by woodcut through the ages. In addition to many works that were conceived as works of art from the very outset, the exhibition also shows examples of woodcuts intended for propaganda, book illustrations, documentation, and wallpapers. At the same time, the exhibitions places as much emphasis on technique and process as on the final work. From Holbein’s delicate, painstakingly accurate lines on tiny sheets measuring only 4 cm² to Titian’s simpler, more expressive idiom that could expand for yards. With this approach, the exhibition aims to provide an experience that is rooted in the work, showcasing woodcut’s formal potential and endless scope.

Magnified and moving images – watching woodcuts and Tal R
Virtuoso skill and an overwhelming wealth of detail are characteristic features of woodcut as an art form. Reflecting this, the exhibition places magnifying glasses at the visitors’ disposal, thereby allowing visitors to study the delicate lines in minute detail. The Gallery has also produced two new films for the exhibition, directing further attention to the technical aspect of the medium. Through inter-views and footage that records his working process, the films follow the artist Tal R as he works on all-new works for the exhibition. The films are also available at www.smk.dk.

Graphic workshop
In connection with the exhibition the Gallery has set up a graphic workshop that includes a printing press and all the tools and materials necessary to create woodcuts. Here, children and adults can try their hand at the art themselves – either before or after visiting the exhibition and with expert guidance from resident artists.

Edvard Munch (1863 - 1944), Evening. At the Beach. Melancholy. The Royal Collection of Graphic Art, 1901, 640 x 750 mm

Giovanni Battista Piranesi (Venise 1720- Rome 1778) « Veduta della piazza e Basilica di S. Giovanni in Laterano (1775) »

Giovanni Battista Piranesi (Venise 1720- Rome 1778) « Veduta della piazza e Basilica di S. Giovanni in Laterano (1775) ». photo Osenat Fontainebleau

Eau-fote riginale, signée « Cavalier Piranesi F. » 48 x 69.5 cm Rare et premier tirage - Estimation : 1500/2000€

Osenat Fontainebleau . Dimanche 3 Avril à 14h15.  5, rue Royale 77300 Fontainebleau. Tél. : 01.64.22.27.62 - Fax : 01.64.22.38.94 - Email :  contact@osenat.com

Francisco de Goya y Lucientes (1746-1828), Otras leyes por el pueblo, 1816-1824.

Francisco de Goya y Lucientes (1746-1828), Otras leyes por el pueblo, 1816-1824.  Courtesy Ader - Paris

Eau-forte, aquatinte et brunissoir. 351 x 241. D. 222 ; H. 268. Très belle épreuve sur vergé, du tirage de L'Art (1877). Quelques rousseurs en pied. Courte déchirure au bord droit. Toutes marges. Estimation : 300 / 400 €

Ader - Paris. Vente aux enchères du Vendredi 4 mars 2011.Drouot Richelieu - Salle 6 - 9, rue Drouot - 75009 Paris. Tel: 01 53 40 77 10

Salvator Rosa (1615-1673), Album de divers sujets. 1656-1664.

Salvator Rosa (1615-1673), Album de divers sujets. 1656-1664. Courtesy Ader - Paris

Un volume broché, couverture de vélin bleu, contenant 88 sujets. Eau-forte (parfois avec pointe sèche). Format de l'album : 470 x 610. Bonnes épreuves tirées sur les cuivres légèrement usés, sur vélin blanc (XIXe s.) Rousseurs, salissures et quelques auréoles d'humidité. Accidents divers. Estimation : 1 200 / 1 500 €

Description du contenu de l'album :
F° 1 à 16 : 64 planches des Figurine et autres suites, tirées 4 à la feuille. 1656-1657.
Bartsch 25 à 86.
-F° 17 : Combat de trois tritons ; Combat de trois tritons avec une néréide. B. 11 et 12.
Deux autres sujets sur le même feuillet.
-F° 18 : Divinités fluviales ; Satyre jouant de la flûte ; Combat de tritons. B. 16, 14 et 13.
-F° 19 : Saint Guillaume de Maleval. B. 1
F° 20 : Apollon et la Sibylle de Cumes. B. 17.
-F° 21 : Glaucus et Scylla. B. 20.
-F° 22 : Albert, compagnon de saint Guillaume, attaché à un arbre. B. 2.
-F° 23 : Le Songe d'Énée. B. 23.
-F° 24 : Jason et le dragon. B. 18.
-F° 25 : Cérès et Phytalus. B. 19.
-F° 26 : Alexandre dans l'atelier d'Apelle. B. 4.
-F° 27 : Diogène rejetant son bol. B. 5.
-F° 28 : Diogène et Alexandre. B. 6.
-F° 29 : Le Génie de Salvator Rosa. B. 24.
-F° 30 : L'Académie de Platon. B. 3.
-F° 31 : Démocrite méditant. B. 7.
-F° 32 : La Mort d'Atilius Regus. B. 9.
Épreuve rempliée.
-F° 33 : Le Sauvetage d'Œdipe enfant. B. 8.
Épreuve rempliée.
-F° 34 : La Chute des Géants. B. 21.
Épreuve rempliée. Manque et trou le long d'un pli.
-F° 35 : La Crucifixion de Polycrate. B. 10.
Épreuve rempliée. Manque et trou le long d'un pli.

Ader - Paris. Vente aux enchères du Vendredi 4 mars 2011.Drouot Richelieu - Salle 6 - 9, rue Drouot - 75009 Paris. Tel: 01 53 40 77 10

Jean Morin (1609-1666), Christ en croix devant les remparts de Jérusalem

Jean Morin (1609-1666), Nemo tollit animam a me, sed ego pono eam a me ipso. [Christ en croix devant les remparts de Jérusalem]. Courtesy Ader - Paris

 

Gravé d'après Philippe de Champaigne. [640 x 760]. Robert-Dumesnil 21 ; Mazel 22. Rare épreuve en deux morceaux raboutés comme à l'ordinaire (version sans la partie inférieure, avec cette lettre gravée), soigneusement lavée et restaurée : petites retouches indétectables dans la cuisse droite du Christ ; légères reprises à la plume et à l'encre dans la lettre et dans la tour au premier plan à gauche. Infimes manques au bord droit du feuillet. Marges étroites. Estimation : 1 200 / 1 500 €

Ader - Paris. Vente aux enchères du Vendredi 4 mars 2011.Drouot Richelieu - Salle 6 - 9, rue Drouot - 75009 Paris. Tel: 01 53 40 77 10

Andy Warhol, Mao, 1972

Andy Warhol, Mao, 1972. photo Philips de Pury & Co

Screenprint in colors, on Beckett High White paper, the full sheet, S. 36 x 36 in. (91.4 x 91.4 cm)  signed in ball-point pen, inscribed in pencil and stamp numbered 105/250 on the reverse (there were also 50 artist's proofs), co-published by Castelli Graphics and Multiples, Inc., New York, the sheet toned, occasional cracking in the ink (particularly at chin, to left of face and at upper left corner), mat staining on the reverse, a moisture stain at the reverse of the lower right sheet corner (only visible on the reverse), otherwise in good condition, framed.

ESTIMATE $30,000-40,000

LITERATURE Frayda Feldman and Jörg Schellmann 94

Andy Warhol, Mao, 1972. photo Philips de Pury & Co

Screenprint in colors, on Beckett High White paper, the full sheet, S. 36 x 36 in. (91.4 x 91.4 cm)  signed in blue ball-point pen and stamp numbered 125/250 on the reverse (there were also 50 artist's proofs), co-published by Castelli Graphics and Multiples, Inc., New York, the sheet toned, occasional soft handling creases (with associated cracking in the inks), a crack in the inks at lower right and center left, a few areas of thinned varnish in the pinks at the sheet edges (with associated minor ink loss in an area at left), a few spots of soiling at upper sheet, skinning at the reverse of the sheet edges (slightly affecting the signature at A), otherwise in good condition, framed.

ESTIMATE $25,000-35,000

LITERATURE Frayda Feldman and Jörg Schellmann 91

Andy Warhol, Mao, 1972. photo Philips de Pury & Co

Screenprint in colors, on Beckett High White paper, the full sheet,  S. 35 1/2 x 35 1/2 in. (90.2 x 90.2 cm)  stamp numbered 35/250 (there were also 50 artist's proofs), published by Castelli Graphics and Multiples, Inc., New York, the sheet toned, heavily restored in upper image area, moisture staining in the corners (affecting the signature and numbering, touched-in), occasional soft creases (with associated cracking in the inks, particularly at upper right), mat staining along the reverse of the sheet edges, tape remains on the reverse (affecting the numbering), framed.

ESTIMATE $12,000-18,000

LITERATURE Frayda Feldman and Jörg Schellmann 99

Philips de Pury & Co. Editions. 21 November 2010. New York www.phillipsdepury.com

Andy Warhol, Jacqueline Kennedy III (Jackie III), from 11 Pop Artists volume III, 1966

Andy Warhol, Jacqueline Kennedy III (Jackie III), from 11 Pop Artists volume III, 1966. photo Philips de Pury & Co

Screenprint in colors, on wove paper, the full sheet, S. 40 x 29 7/8 in. (101.6 x 75.9 cm)  stamp signed and annotated `AP' and `XXXV' in pencil on the reverse (one of 50 in Roman numerals, the edition was 200 in Arabic numerals), published by Original Editions, New York, the blue attenuated to silver, a horizontal crease at lower left corner, a few faint greeen scuffs at lower left corner, creasing at the corners and in places along the sheet edges, otherwise in good condition, framed.

ESTIMATE $15,000-25,000

LITERATURE Frayda Feldman and Jörg Schellmann 15

Philips de Pury & Co. Editions. 21 November 2010. New York www.phillipsdepury.com

Andy Warhol, Jacqueline Kennedy I (Jackie I), from 11 Pop Artists volume I, 1966

Andy Warhol, Jacqueline Kennedy I (Jackie I), from 11 Pop Artists volume I, 1966. photo Philips de Pury & Co

Screenprint in colors, on wove paper, with full margins, I. 20 3/4 x 17 1/4 in. (52.7 x 43.8 cm); S. 24 x 19 7/8 in. (61 x 50.5 cm)  stamp signed and numbered 57/200 in pencil on the reverse (there were also 50 artist's proofs), published by Original Editions, New York, very minor soiling in the margins, a pale foxmark at lower left margin corner, pale time staining, otherwise in very good condition, framed.

ESTIMATE $10,000-15,000

LITERATURE Frayda Feldman and Jörg Schellmann 13

Philips de Pury & Co. Editions. 21 November 2010. New York www.phillipsdepury.com