Albrecht Dürer and the Embodiment of Genius : Decorating Museums in the Nineteenth Century

During the nineteenth century, Albrecht Dürer’s art, piety, and personal character were held up as models to inspire contemporary artists and—it was hoped—to return Germany to international artistic eminence. In this book, Jeffrey Chipps Smith explores Dürer’s complex posthumous reception during the great century of museum building in Europe, with a particular focus on the artist’s role as a creative and moral exemplar for German artists and museum visitors. In an era when museums were emerging as symbols of civic, regional, and national identity, dozens of new national, princely, and civic museums began to feature portraits of Dürer in their elaborate decorative programs embellishing the facades, grand staircases, galleries, and ceremonial spaces. Most of these arose in Germany and Austria, though examples can be seen as far away as St. Petersburg, Stockholm, London, and New York City. Probing the cultural, political, and educational aspirations and rivalries of these museums and their patrons, Smith traces how Dürer was painted, sculpted, and prominently placed to accommodate the era’s diverse needs and aspirations. He investigates what these portraits can tell us about the rise of a distinct canon of famous Renaissance and Baroque artists—addressing the question of why Dürer was so often paired with Raphael, who was considered to embody the greatness of Italian art—and why, with the rise of German nationalism, Hans Holbein the Younger often replaced Raphael as Dürer’s partner. Accessibly written and comprehensive in scope, this book sheds new light on museum building in the nineteenth century and the rise of art history as a discipline. It will appeal to specialists in nineteenth-century and early modern art, the history of museums and collecting, and art historiography.

During the nineteenth century, Albrecht Dürer's art, piety, andpersonal character were held up as models to inspire contemporaryartists and-it was hoped-to return Germany to internationalartistic eminence. In this book, Jeffrey Chipps Smith exploresDürer's complex posthumous reception during the great century ofmuseum building in Europe, with a particular focus on the artist'srole as a creative and moral exemplar for German artists and museumvisitors.

In an era when museums were emerging as symbols of civic,regional, and national identity, dozens of new national, princely,and civic museums began to feature portraits of Dürer in theirelaborate decorative programs embellishing the facades, grandstaircases, galleries, and ceremonial spaces. Most of these arosein Germany and Austria, though examples can be seen as far away asSt. Petersburg, Stockholm, London, and New York City. Probing thecultural, political, and educational aspirations and rivalries ofthese museums and their patrons, Smith traces how Dürer waspainted, sculpted, and prominently placed to accommodate the era'sdiverse needs and aspirations. He investigates what these portraitscan tell us about the rise of a distinct canon of famousRenaissance and Baroque artists-addressing the question of whyDürer was so often paired with Raphael, who was considered toembody the greatness of Italian art-and why, with the rise ofGerman nationalism, Hans Holbein the Younger often replaced Raphaelas Dürer's partner.

Accessibly written and comprehensive in scope, this book shedsnew light on museum building in the nineteenth century and the riseof art history as a discipline. It will appeal to specialists innineteenth-century and early modern art, the history of museums andcollecting, and art historiography.

"Explores the complex posthumous reception of Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) as the embodiment of Germany's past artistic greatness and its current cultural aspirations and as a creative and moral examplar forcontemporary artists and museum visitors"-- Provided by publisher Explores the complex posthumous reception of Albrecht Durer (1471-1528) as the embodiment of Germany's past artistic greatness and its current cultural aspirations and as a creative and moral examplar for contemporary artists and museum visitors.