Light And Shading In 1521 Essay
This edition of the German master Albrecht Dürer’s 1521 engraving is a fine example of the artist’s revolutionary style of printmaking. His combination of traditional religious subjects with a scientific understanding of anatomical modeling and perspective make the piece dynamic and contribute to the overall drama of the narrative. A halo of light draws the eye to the central figure of the Christ child, who gazes serenely upon his bearer and makes a sign of benediction. The visage of the saint, rendered in high contrast with aging and exaggerated features, is stoic. The faces and overall forms of the central figures display the artist’s interest in light and shading, both as artistic and metaphorical endeavors. The stacking of the figures and
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Christopher of 1423 is far simpler. Dating almost exactly a century earlier, this analogous piece is typical of early printmaking techniques and lacks the detail and refinement of later works. There is some attempt at perspective, but is flat and lacks depth. There is minimal shading on any of the figures, nor is there much variation in line weight. The later is a product of the medium, as woodcuts tend to produce blockier lines than the subtleties allowed by engraving. The Buxheim piece also favors a repetition, almost a patterning, of similar curves and straights, rather than the greater overall variation of line types employed by Dürer. Nevertheless, there are some similarities to the Dürer piece. Christ makes the same sign of benediction, St. Christopher carries his staff, the hermit appears in the back right of the piece. Also notable is the treatment of the water, and the interest of both artists in depicting they dynamic fluidity of the current that is so central to the story. Like Dürer, the Buxheim piece seeks to convey movement against the current, using the sharp lines of billowing of robes to suggest crossing from left to right. This interest in depicting geographic displacement in terms of a single temporal frame is the central concern of both
Christopher of 1423 is far simpler. Dating almost exactly a century earlier, this analogous piece is typical of early printmaking techniques and lacks the detail and refinement of later works. There is some attempt at perspective, but is flat and lacks depth. There is minimal shading on any of the figures, nor is there much variation in line weight. The later is a product of the medium, as woodcuts tend to produce blockier lines than the subtleties allowed by engraving. The Buxheim piece also favors a repetition, almost a patterning, of similar curves and straights, rather than the greater overall variation of line types employed by Dürer. Nevertheless, there are some similarities to the Dürer piece. Christ makes the same sign of benediction, St. Christopher carries his staff, the hermit appears in the back right of the piece. Also notable is the treatment of the water, and the interest of both artists in depicting they dynamic fluidity of the current that is so central to the story. Like Dürer, the Buxheim piece seeks to convey movement against the current, using the sharp lines of billowing of robes to suggest crossing from left to right. This interest in depicting geographic displacement in terms of a single temporal frame is the central concern of both