DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52444#0106
CATALOGUE OF DURER’S ENGRAVINGS,
ness of the paper. Pure black ink. Duplicate from the Kunsthalle at
Hamburg.
Retberg, about 1495; Heller, 1500-06; Middleton, 11 executed early in 1496.”
Allihn says the print is dated 1519, which is a mistake.
Like the preceding plate, this is supposed to be a skit upon the conceit of the
peasantry. “The same ironical tone is apparent in the three peasants in con-
versation,” says Thausing (I, p. 309), “ one of whom holds a basket of eggs, and
another has a sack thrown over his shoulders and is leaning upon a somewhat
damaged sword; no doubt they are discussing the affairs of the universe.” To
similar purpose Allihn (p. 90): “ They wear spurs, swords, and belted tunics, a
costume which is not theirs by right, and which they have borrowed from the
wardrobe of the knights. Nevertheless, the peasant crops out everywhere. The
scabbards of their swords are defective, and here and there a naked knee peeps
through the hose. Of course it is only a bagatelle that is in question, but they
discuss it with fervor, as if the weal of the Fatherland depended upon it.” The
attempts of the oppressed peasants to better their miserable condition were a
topic of interest at the time. As early as 1476 risings occurred in South Ger-
many, and these finally culminated in the Peasants’ War in 1525. As usual,
the just demands of the oppressed were met by scorn and derision, and it is
likely enough that Durer, like other artists, tried to make money out of this sad
condition of things. If we regret this side of Diirer’s activity, we may, how-
ever, temper our regret by the following considerations, advanced by Allihn
(p. 88): “ In these scenes of peasant life Durer also is in curious discord with
himself. It is true, he joins in the general derision of the peasants, he engraves
his plate for those who found pleasure in testing their superior wit at the expense
of the peasants, and who would have been as contented, if not more so, with
the most scurrilous caricature, but it was impossible for Durer to demand such
a production of his genius. He draws a character-picture of superior comic
qualities, but not a libel,— yea, even more than this, he executes his genre repre-
sentation with the same loving care as his most beautiful Madonna.” This ap-
plies more especially to the “Dancing Peasants” (No. 73 of this catalogue),
but the humor is claimed for all of Diirer’s similar subjects. To our very mod-
ern eyes there is, indeed, little or no humor in these groups. It must not be
forgotten, however, that the people of the fifteenth century were differently con-
stituted from ourselves, and were delighted by what to us would be utterly un-
interesting, as the child finds amusement where the grown-up man finds only
ennui.
Passavant says that the plate still exists, having been bought in the year 1852,
in a badly worn condition, by the Prince Dolgorouky. This, however, does not
tally with Heller (p. 492, No. 948). (See remarks under No. 26.)
24
ness of the paper. Pure black ink. Duplicate from the Kunsthalle at
Hamburg.
Retberg, about 1495; Heller, 1500-06; Middleton, 11 executed early in 1496.”
Allihn says the print is dated 1519, which is a mistake.
Like the preceding plate, this is supposed to be a skit upon the conceit of the
peasantry. “The same ironical tone is apparent in the three peasants in con-
versation,” says Thausing (I, p. 309), “ one of whom holds a basket of eggs, and
another has a sack thrown over his shoulders and is leaning upon a somewhat
damaged sword; no doubt they are discussing the affairs of the universe.” To
similar purpose Allihn (p. 90): “ They wear spurs, swords, and belted tunics, a
costume which is not theirs by right, and which they have borrowed from the
wardrobe of the knights. Nevertheless, the peasant crops out everywhere. The
scabbards of their swords are defective, and here and there a naked knee peeps
through the hose. Of course it is only a bagatelle that is in question, but they
discuss it with fervor, as if the weal of the Fatherland depended upon it.” The
attempts of the oppressed peasants to better their miserable condition were a
topic of interest at the time. As early as 1476 risings occurred in South Ger-
many, and these finally culminated in the Peasants’ War in 1525. As usual,
the just demands of the oppressed were met by scorn and derision, and it is
likely enough that Durer, like other artists, tried to make money out of this sad
condition of things. If we regret this side of Diirer’s activity, we may, how-
ever, temper our regret by the following considerations, advanced by Allihn
(p. 88): “ In these scenes of peasant life Durer also is in curious discord with
himself. It is true, he joins in the general derision of the peasants, he engraves
his plate for those who found pleasure in testing their superior wit at the expense
of the peasants, and who would have been as contented, if not more so, with
the most scurrilous caricature, but it was impossible for Durer to demand such
a production of his genius. He draws a character-picture of superior comic
qualities, but not a libel,— yea, even more than this, he executes his genre repre-
sentation with the same loving care as his most beautiful Madonna.” This ap-
plies more especially to the “Dancing Peasants” (No. 73 of this catalogue),
but the humor is claimed for all of Diirer’s similar subjects. To our very mod-
ern eyes there is, indeed, little or no humor in these groups. It must not be
forgotten, however, that the people of the fifteenth century were differently con-
stituted from ourselves, and were delighted by what to us would be utterly un-
interesting, as the child finds amusement where the grown-up man finds only
ennui.
Passavant says that the plate still exists, having been bought in the year 1852,
in a badly worn condition, by the Prince Dolgorouky. This, however, does not
tally with Heller (p. 492, No. 948). (See remarks under No. 26.)
24