R50,000 - R70,000
Albrecht Dürer (German 1471 - 1528) THE HOLY FAMILY WITH THE THREE HARES
artist's monogram in the block
woodcut, a Meder H impression (c.1580)
sheet size: 39,5 by 28,5cm; 48 by 37 by 5cm including framing
LITERATURE
Catalogue Raisonne: Bartsch 102 and Meder 212
In Albrecht Durer’s Holy Family with the Three Hares (circa 1497-98), the Virgin Mary sits on a turf bench holding a spirited Christ child who is captivated by a book. On their right, Joseph leans on a staff, partly turned but glancing at his family. Three hares, representing fertility and the Holy Trinity, cavort at their feet as two angels crown the Virgin. All are in an enclosed garden - a “hortus conclusus” – with a wall separating the family from the distant background of mountains and forests.
The work is full of animation, but the first element that captivates the viewer is the directness of the Virgin’s gaze. It is demure, but confident, perhaps touched with melancholy. Her regard evokes a sense of calm, filling the world of the work and encouraging contemplation. Intertwined narratives emerge with closer examination, for example, the Christ child is opening the Holy Scriptures, signaling a beginning, but his one foot rests on the other, foreshadowing his crucifixion. These elements create tensions within the work by contrasting the joyfulness of the hares and the celebratory crown with the subtle tragic themes.
But it is perhaps the plants in the lower left corner – strongly reminiscent of Durer’s watercolour, Great Piece of Turf (1503) - that best encapsulates Durer’s skill and innovation in the art of the woodcut. Panofsky refers to these plants as “fireworks in black and white” (Panofsky, p48). The simile is finely wrought, since not only does Durer’s mastery revolve around the manipulation of light, but his remarkable work exploded the notions of contemporary assumptions of the possible.
Durer conceived and created Holy Family with the Three Hares after his first visit to Italy. It was one of only four single-leaf large format woodcuts with a religious theme that Durer completed before 1500, and the innovative techniques used in the engravings likely indicate that Durer prepared the blocks himself. During this period he also produced Apocalypse, and started with the early sheets of the Large Passion – two of his greatest achievements. Apocalypse, published in 1498, and Durer’s engravings here are categorized in art as “masterpieces”, indicating that these engravings are “flawless works that sum up tradition and establish new standards” (Garrett, p79). This is an extraordinary achievement when considering he was working within the most restrictive of mediums.
It is impossible to imagine the impact of Durer’s art when first seen by 15th century eyes. However, more than five hundred years later he still influences contemporary artists and enchants his audience. He was a leading light of the Renaissance in Northern Europe and remains a Master in the 21st century.
-L.R
Garrett, Albert, A History of Wood Carving, London: Bloomsbury Books, 1978
Panofsky, Erwin, Albrecht Durer, London: Oxford University, 1945
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