Albrecht Durer, engraving "Melancholy". Instrument from the engraving "Melancholy" by Durer

One of the most famous works, where a unique method of metal carving is used, is Albrecht Durer's engraving "Melancholia". She is most often associated with his name, as, for example, "Gioconda" is inseparably linked with Leonardo da Vinci.

Great mastery of the creator

But first of all it is worthwhile to dwell on the very diagram of Durer, the content of his engravings and on the technique of skill. Because when you look at his engravings, in the works, which are called incisive engravings on copper, surprises the improbability of the technical perfection of the creator. It is incredibly unique, complex and time-consuming.

It was Durer who created this technique of carved engraving on copper. He took a cutter, put his hand on a special pillow so that you could hold it for a long time in a certain position. And during the work on his masterpieces he did not use a chisel on the copper plate, but moved the board itself at hand. Subsequently, the etching process began.

It is necessary to pay attention to his remarkable works "Rhinoceros", "Melancholy", "Knight, Devil and Death". Looking at them, it is impossible to believe that it is possible to perform this way. What a huge number of lines! And to date, no one uses the engraving technique on copper with etching, created by Albrecht Dürer. She came with this extraordinary master and left with him.

Three parts of the most magnificent creation of the master craftsman

The most famous engraving, which was performed by Albrecht Durer - "Melancholy". It was created in the year fifteen hundred and fourteen. If you look at it very carefully, you can see that this engraving on horizontal lines is divided into three levels.

Each of them represents certain stages of cognition. The artist in this work carefully designates all these levels with certain attributes. If you look closely enough at objects that are depicted in the lower tier, you can see there is a very interesting set.

Handicraft tools or a high level of masterpiece creation

Each instrument from the engraving "Melancholia" of Durer, located at this level, refers to the subjects of the craft: plane, forceps, gon, hammer and nails. And the most impressive thing is a ball of ideal shape. It is he who is the sign of a very high skill.

In the Albrecht era, various teachings, technical skills, the ability to make something with their own hands, the knowledge of the anatomy represented by the animal curled up in the left corner of the engraving - all this required the highest levels of education.

At the heart of all this lay the possession of a rather laborious technical skill. And any instrument from the engraving "Melancholy" by Durer, emphasized the presence of each of this knowledge. And if the master could create such a sphere, then he has the opportunity to move to the next level of training.

Albrecht Durer. "Melancholy". High quality craft or the next level of intelligence

At the middle level, the most diverse attributes are visible. And they, at first sight, have no connection with each other. A pretty angel is busy reading a book. At the same time he sits on the top of the millstone. In all likelihood, this cute boy with small wings represents an area of some kind of intellectual development.

The belt of the character's clothing, which is to the right of the angel, is fastened with a purse. But he lies at her feet. Because money - this is the appropriate remuneration for labor only with a specific work done. And it is possible if you use any tool from the engraving "Melancholy" by Durer, which is located at the bottom of the picture relating to craftsmanship. And intellectual work can not be estimated, it does not have the appropriate payment, so the wallet is also on the lower tier.

A huge crystal, located on the middle level of the work

But the main place in the second part of the picture is a huge crystal. This is an image of what is the goal for any alchemist. In the days of Albrecht's life, in the era of the late Middle Ages, the artisan's craftsmanship was judged on the art of making a ball, and the highest degree of intellectual knowledge or an absolutely learned person belonged to someone who knew the theorem of the scientist Ibn Sina about the sum of the angles of a polygon.

Albrecht Dürer himself was familiar with this law. "Melancholy" shows the viewer a crystal. He is a polygonal figure representing the theorem of a famous scientist. A nearby tool is a geologist, showing that such a stone can be obtained not by an alchemy, but more natural. And another tool from the engraving "Melancholy" by Durer is the crucible of the alchemist, where the process of transmutation is going on, is located a little further - beyond the crystal.

The work that astonished the whole world

And, finally, the third belt is something incredible. On the right side you can see a very large tower that goes up and never ends. As well as the staircase, attached to it and going into the sky. On the building you can see two wonderful things.

It is an hourglass expressing the image of time, and the magic table of Durer, where both the vertical and horizontal lines are a figure of thirty-two. Above the table is located the alarm, and the rope from him goes beyond the outline of the picture, which was created by Albrecht Durer.

"Melancholy" represents the viewer this tower as a symbol of the fact that it is impossible to study absolutely all the truths. There are things that are endless for the knowledge of the human mind. And they include not only craftsmanship and intellectual education, but also magical teachings.

In Germany, in the gallery "Kunsthalle" is the engraving "Melancholy" by Durer. In a good resolution, the images presented here, of course, do not allow you to feel all the perfection of the work of the author of the work, which astonished the whole world. But, nevertheless, help to study this masterpiece and draw up its analysis.

Part of the work related to earthly existence

A work that, with the help of the copper carving technique, was created by Albrecht Durer - a picture of "Melancholy", representing the earth's landscape, located in the upper left corner of the engraving. Infinitely bright shining rays from a distant star. There is a legend that here is depicted the Halley comet, which swept across the sky at that time.

But the main character is a bat, which refers to the symbol of melancholy. She in her paws over a star, a rainbow, water and the whole landscape bears a map of this mental illness of all geniuses. Huge knowledge breeds sorrow. The more a person knows, the deeper he sees and plunges into a black melancholy.

The image of genius or black melancholy

The last figure, which showed Durer - melancholy. The photo presented here shows the image of genius or black melancholy created by the artist. She has huge wings of extraordinary scope. Like the very big wings of an angel. And in her hands she holds the compasses.

By this Albrecht Durer wanted to make it clear that any boundlessness of knowledge must be proved, measured out and verified. Everything should be under control. And on the head of the figure is a blossoming turn that has not yet circled and cuts its thorns in the brow.

And, perhaps, it is this image of melancholy, which the artist showed, with such a sad look and so much in himself unifying, and there is one of his self-portraits, only in the image.

Albrecht Durer is the only one among the world's artists who has an incredible amount of self-portraits. He drew the first one when he was still a boy. And then begins a series of endless images of himself to the very last, where he stands, pointing to the pancreas. He seems to make himself a diagnosis.

And this famous engraving "Melancholy" by Albrecht Durer expresses, above all, the theme of fate. And all the knowledge presented on it, three levels of knowledge of sciences and skill, in the author's opinion, ultimately give rise to melancholy. For all you have to pay a very high spiritual price. So the greatest creator transmitted in his picture his state of mind.