Dodgson, Campbell; Dürer, Albrecht [Editor]: Albrecht Dürer (London [u.a.]: The Midici Soc., 1926)

I. The first figure (9) in the third row of figures on the tablet is reversed (the figure 5
above it has already been changed from a 6). See Burlington Magazine, 1913,
xxii, 316.
IMPRESSIONS : Berlin, London. London, Dr. R. 0. Moon. Manchester, Mr. T. D.
Barlow. Two private collections in America.
II. The 9 corrected.
Watermarks: “ high crown ” (Ha.4) ; “armorial” (Ha. 15).
Drawings: two pen-and-ink studies (L.249) in the British Museum for the child
genius which represents literary inspiration. In the Dept, of MSS. (Add. MS. 5229,
fol. 60) is a small drawing of a child genius holding a quadrant and plumb, designed
for this engraving but not finally used in it. The drawing is accompanied by a
note on the interpretation of two of the symbols, purse and key, as wealth and
might. (Durer Society, xii, 12 ; text, p. 16). The sketch for the geometrical solid
body is in the Dresden sketch-book (Bruck, Pl.131). The pen-and-ink drawing
(1514) of a stout woman seated (L.79), now at Berlin, has been used in designing the
chief figure.
The literature on the Melancholia is more extensive than that on any other engraving
by Durer ; the statement would probably remain true if the last two words were
omitted. It can only be briefly summarised here.
Apart from discussions in general works on Durer, to which only a few references
are here given, and in catalogues, the following list of monographs and articles
dealing specially with this engraving will be found approximately complete.
A. von Eye. “ Leben und Wirken A.D.’s,” i860, pp. 349-357.
A. Ilg. “ Diirer’s Melancholic,” Mitteilungen der K. K. Zentralkommission, etc.
(Vienna), 1870, p. 152.
M. Allihn. “ Durer-Studien,” 1871, pp. 95-115.
M. Thausing. “ Durer,” 2te Auflage, 1884, ii, pp. 226-233.
A. Springer. A. Durer, 1892, p. 99.
K. Lange. Die Grenzboten (Leipzig), 1892, LI, pp. 384-390.
F. Lippmann. “ Der Kupferstich,” 1893, p. 51.

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