DURER, ALBRECHT

born , May 21, 1471, Imperial Free City of Nrnberg died April 6, 1528, Nrnberg Four Apostles, oil on two wood panels by Albrecht Drer, 1526; in the Alte Drer, Self-portrait in Furred Coat, oil on wood panel, 1500; in the Alte painter and printmaker generally regarded as the greatest German Renaissance artist. His vast body of work includes altarpieces and religious works (see photograph), numerous portraits and self-portraits (see photograph, and copper engravings. His woodcuts, such as the Apocalypse series (1498), retain a more Gothic flavour than the rest of his work. Additional reading Peter Strieder, The Hidden Drer (1978), is a popular biography and introduction to his works. Francis Russell, The World of Drer, 14711528 (1967, reissued 1981), a vol. in the Time-Life Library of Art, provides a general introduction to his background, life, and followers. Marcel Brion, Drer (1960), is a critical biography. Heinz Ldecke, Albrecht Drer (1972), examines Drer in relation to contemporary social and political concerns. Classic works include Heinrich Wlfflin, The Art of Albrecht Drer (1971; originally published in German, 1905); and Erwin Panofsky, The Life and Art of Albrecht Drer, 4th ed. (1955, reissued 1971). Peter Strieder, Albrecht Drer: Paintings, Prints, Drawings (1982), includes biographical data and covers Drer's work in all media. Walter Strauss (ed.), Albrecht Drer: Woodcuts and Wood Blocks (1980), is an extensive reference, reproducing all Drer's work in this medium in chronological order, discussing each at length. Walter Strauss, The Complete Drawings of Albrecht Drer, 6 vol. (1974), is a comprehensive collection, also arranged chronologically, and fully documented. Christopher White, Drer: The Artist and His Drawings (1971), examines Drer's skill as a draughtsman. Walter Koschatzky, Albrecht Drer: The Landscape Water-colours (1973), discusses the 32 surviving landscapes. Fritz Koreny, Albrecht Drer and the Animal and Plant Studies of the Renaissance (1988), illuminates Drer's genius by comparing his work with contemporary copyists and imitators.