DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.7598#0179
CHAP. VIII.]
MARTIN SCHONGAUER.
645
to give us the real surname of Martin, but also of being the only
one who has yet 'ventured to state the precise year in which that artist
was born. The information contained upon this picture I doubt not
goes thus far: but of course (the portrait with its inscription having
been painted whilst Schongauer was living) it can go no further;
and the grounds of the remaining part of the Italian writer's
account,—viz. that Schongauer died in the year 1486,—that the
" picture was painted by Albert Durer,—and that Albert had been
" the scholar of Schongauer,"—must be in part sought in the
writings of Lomazzo, Baldinucci, Sandrart, and similar authors;
and is for the rest accounted for by the well-known fact, that
almost every early German painting, in the collections of Italy, is
ascribed to Albert Durer, in the same manner as we in England
are accustomed to attribute every dry production of the old Italian
schools to the pencil of Andrea Mantegna. I shall conclude by
observing, that this argument respecting the period of the birth of
Martin Schongauer appears to me to be considerably strengthened
by the following fact: Heinecken was in possession of a drawing
by his hand, which had formerly belonged to Albert Durer, who
had thus written underneath it: " Diess hat der Htibsch Martin
" gerissen im 1470 jar, da er ein junger gesell was. Das hob ich
" Albrecht Durer erf am, vnd Im zu Em daher geschrieben, im 1517
" jar."* That is to say: "This piece was drawn by Htibsch
" Martin in 1470, he being then a youth.f I, Albert Durer, have
" been informed of that circumstance, and have written this in his
" honor, in the year 1517."
Martin Schongauer enjoyed the reputation of being one of the
greatest artists of his time. " His pictures," says Wimpheling,|
" were anxiously bought up, and transmitted to Italy, Spain,
*' France, England, and many other parts of the world: and at
* Heinecken, " Neueste Nachrichten," % J. Wimpbelingi Rer. German, epitome,
&c. p. 406. cap. lxvii.
f Bartsch translates it "etantjeunehomme."
MARTIN SCHONGAUER.
645
to give us the real surname of Martin, but also of being the only
one who has yet 'ventured to state the precise year in which that artist
was born. The information contained upon this picture I doubt not
goes thus far: but of course (the portrait with its inscription having
been painted whilst Schongauer was living) it can go no further;
and the grounds of the remaining part of the Italian writer's
account,—viz. that Schongauer died in the year 1486,—that the
" picture was painted by Albert Durer,—and that Albert had been
" the scholar of Schongauer,"—must be in part sought in the
writings of Lomazzo, Baldinucci, Sandrart, and similar authors;
and is for the rest accounted for by the well-known fact, that
almost every early German painting, in the collections of Italy, is
ascribed to Albert Durer, in the same manner as we in England
are accustomed to attribute every dry production of the old Italian
schools to the pencil of Andrea Mantegna. I shall conclude by
observing, that this argument respecting the period of the birth of
Martin Schongauer appears to me to be considerably strengthened
by the following fact: Heinecken was in possession of a drawing
by his hand, which had formerly belonged to Albert Durer, who
had thus written underneath it: " Diess hat der Htibsch Martin
" gerissen im 1470 jar, da er ein junger gesell was. Das hob ich
" Albrecht Durer erf am, vnd Im zu Em daher geschrieben, im 1517
" jar."* That is to say: "This piece was drawn by Htibsch
" Martin in 1470, he being then a youth.f I, Albert Durer, have
" been informed of that circumstance, and have written this in his
" honor, in the year 1517."
Martin Schongauer enjoyed the reputation of being one of the
greatest artists of his time. " His pictures," says Wimpheling,|
" were anxiously bought up, and transmitted to Italy, Spain,
*' France, England, and many other parts of the world: and at
* Heinecken, " Neueste Nachrichten," % J. Wimpbelingi Rer. German, epitome,
&c. p. 406. cap. lxvii.
f Bartsch translates it "etantjeunehomme."