DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52444#0084
CATALOGUE OF DURER’S ENGRAVINGS,
Courier,” and that, as this is universally rejected, the two must fall together.
If this were so, however, the “Five Footsoldiers and a Mounted Turk,” No. 3
of this catalogue, would also have to be abandoned, despite the monogram,
for the “Footsoldiers” is very similar to “The Ravisher” in treatment,
especially in the modeling of the face of one of the figures, which is quite
“feathery.” Lehrs, discussing Harck’s theories, upholds their authenticity.
Retberg assigns it to before 1495; Heller, to the period between i486
and 1500; Middleton says of it, “ probably executed in 1494.” It certainly is,
among all the plates ascribed to Diirer, the most primitive in design as well
as in execution, and, if really by Diirer, may have been engraved before his
first journey,— that is to say, before or in the year 1490. (See Introduction, p.
xx. For “The Great Courier” see No. 103 of this catalogue.)
Bartsch calls this engraving “ Le Violent ”; Heller, “ The Woman defending
herself against the Attacks of a Man ”; Hausmann, “ The Man using Violence ”
(Der Gewaltthatige); Retberg, “Death, the violent old Man” (Der Tod, ge-
waltsame Greis); Rosenberg, on the strength of an old inscription in the
scroll above the figures, declares the subject to be an allegory of “Envy”;
Heller sees in it merely the representation of an attempt of a wicked old man
upon an unwilling woman, but the explanation most generally accepted is that
given by Thausing (I, p. 205): “ It is the struggle for existence. Death, repre-
sented as a savage,— a dried-up hollow-eyed gray-beard,— is trying to offer
violence to a young [?] girl, in burgher costume, who represents life.” (Com-
pare the figure of Death in the “ Four Riders of the Apocalypse ” in Diirer’s
woodcut series, illustrating the Apocalypse, B 60-75; see a-so Frimmel, p. 26.)
Allihn, on the other hand, p. 50, connects the subject with the belief in witch-
craft, and sees in the male figure an incubus, a demon in the assumed shape of
a naked man, seeking the ruin of a human being.
2 THE HOLY FAMILY WITH THE DRAGON-FLY —
B 44; H 643; R 3; M 3.— Monogram with a pointed
A AND A SMALL GOTHIC d WITHIN IT,-THE MOST PRIMI-
TIVE MONOGRAM TO BE FOUND ON DURER’S PRINTS.
Good impression, but not of the very earliest, the right cheek of the
Virgin already somewhat defective from the wearing of the delicate work.
Rather brownish ink, clean wiped.
In the best early impressions, such as that in the Gray Collection, Boston, and
one of those in the Berlin Cabinet, the face is still intact, and they are printed
2
Courier,” and that, as this is universally rejected, the two must fall together.
If this were so, however, the “Five Footsoldiers and a Mounted Turk,” No. 3
of this catalogue, would also have to be abandoned, despite the monogram,
for the “Footsoldiers” is very similar to “The Ravisher” in treatment,
especially in the modeling of the face of one of the figures, which is quite
“feathery.” Lehrs, discussing Harck’s theories, upholds their authenticity.
Retberg assigns it to before 1495; Heller, to the period between i486
and 1500; Middleton says of it, “ probably executed in 1494.” It certainly is,
among all the plates ascribed to Diirer, the most primitive in design as well
as in execution, and, if really by Diirer, may have been engraved before his
first journey,— that is to say, before or in the year 1490. (See Introduction, p.
xx. For “The Great Courier” see No. 103 of this catalogue.)
Bartsch calls this engraving “ Le Violent ”; Heller, “ The Woman defending
herself against the Attacks of a Man ”; Hausmann, “ The Man using Violence ”
(Der Gewaltthatige); Retberg, “Death, the violent old Man” (Der Tod, ge-
waltsame Greis); Rosenberg, on the strength of an old inscription in the
scroll above the figures, declares the subject to be an allegory of “Envy”;
Heller sees in it merely the representation of an attempt of a wicked old man
upon an unwilling woman, but the explanation most generally accepted is that
given by Thausing (I, p. 205): “ It is the struggle for existence. Death, repre-
sented as a savage,— a dried-up hollow-eyed gray-beard,— is trying to offer
violence to a young [?] girl, in burgher costume, who represents life.” (Com-
pare the figure of Death in the “ Four Riders of the Apocalypse ” in Diirer’s
woodcut series, illustrating the Apocalypse, B 60-75; see a-so Frimmel, p. 26.)
Allihn, on the other hand, p. 50, connects the subject with the belief in witch-
craft, and sees in the male figure an incubus, a demon in the assumed shape of
a naked man, seeking the ruin of a human being.
2 THE HOLY FAMILY WITH THE DRAGON-FLY —
B 44; H 643; R 3; M 3.— Monogram with a pointed
A AND A SMALL GOTHIC d WITHIN IT,-THE MOST PRIMI-
TIVE MONOGRAM TO BE FOUND ON DURER’S PRINTS.
Good impression, but not of the very earliest, the right cheek of the
Virgin already somewhat defective from the wearing of the delicate work.
Rather brownish ink, clean wiped.
In the best early impressions, such as that in the Gray Collection, Boston, and
one of those in the Berlin Cabinet, the face is still intact, and they are printed
2