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Biographical Information:
He was a painter, engraver and designer of woodcuts, born in southern Germany. From 1505 onwards, he was active in the city government of Regensburg. In 1509 he received his first commission for a painting to be hung in St. Peter's Church. His gravestone bears the inscription:" architect", however nothing is known about his architectural pursuits, except that he was active in the destruction of the Regensburg Synagogue and the subsequent erection of the Church of the Beautiful Madonna in 1519. His paintings and graphic works show an intense interest in architectural forms.
His works fall roughly into three stylistic periods: the early period, 1506-15; the middle period, 1516-25; and the late period, 1526-37. The early works, i.e. the nude female in "Temptation of the Hermits" how an interest in Italian prints and a growing preoccupation with the effects of landscape.
In the middle period Altdorfer developed his landscape art to its climax - the creation of the first pure landscape paintings since antiquity. "Regensburg Landscape" (1522-25) and the "Landscape with Mill" (1522-23) contain no figures, the only interest of the artist being the re-creation of a realistic landscape through a mastery of effects of light, color, and aerial perspective.
Other important works of the middle period are the altar wings in St. Florian (1517-18), depicting the Passion of Christ, the St. Sebastian legend, Christ on the Mount of Olives and the Seizure of Christ - all showing extremely advanced use of dramatic light. These colorful panels combine dramatic landscape effects with a bold use of architecture to produce a stronger theatrical effect.
In the late period, Altdorfer concentrated more on painting than on the graphic arts. He became increasingly interested in coloristic effects. The "Battle of Alexander" (1529) owes as much to color effects as it does to uniquely dramatic composition for its expressive impact.
Altdorfer was uniquely German in his intense interest in nature and in the emotional expressiveness of the human figure.
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Artists Works:
ALTDORFER
ALTDORFER, Albrecht
Altdorfer, Albrecht
Altdorfer, Albrecht
Altdorfer, Albrecht
Altdorfer, Erhard
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Commercial Resources:
C.G. BOERNER GmbH Fine Arts and Prints
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In the News:
From Schongauer to Holbein:
Master Drawings from Basel and Berlin
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Related Information:
C.G. BOERNER GmbH Fine Arts and Prints
ReNATssance Art
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