b.May 21, 1471, Imperial Free City of Nernberg [Germany] d.April 6, 1528, Nernberg Albrecht Durer (May 21, 1471 ?C April 6, 1528) was a German painter, printmaker and theorist from Nuremberg. His still-famous works include the Apocalypse woodcuts, Knight, Death, and the Devil (1513), Saint Jerome in his Study (1514) and Melencolia I (1514), which has been the subject of extensive analysis and interpretation. His watercolours mark him as one of the first European landscape artists, while his ambitious woodcuts revolutionized the potential of that medium. D??rer introduction of classical motifs into Northern art, through his knowledge of Italian artists and German humanists, have secured his reputation as one of the most important figures of the Northern Renaissance. This is reinforced by his theoretical treatise which involve principles of mathematics, perspective and ideal proportions. His prints established his reputation across Europe when he was still in his twenties, and he has been conventionally regarded as the greatest artist of the Renaissance in Northern Europe ever since.
Philipp Melanchthon
1526 Engraving, 174 x 127 mm Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Philipp Melanchthon (1497-1560) was one of the great humanists of his age. He was the German author of the Confession of Augsburg of the Lutheran Church (1530), humanist, reformer, theologian, and educator. His original name Philipp Schwartzerd means Black Earth in German, in Greek, Melanchthon. After studying in Heidelberg and T?bingen, he taught as a professor in Wittenberg. The main emphasis of his research was on theology, philosophy and rhetoric. In 1521 Melanchthon published the Loci communes, the first systematic treatment of evangelical doctrine. Because of his academic expertise he was asked to help in founding schools, and he virtually reorganized the whole educational system of Germany, founding and reforming several of its universities. In November 1525 and May 1526 he visited Nuremberg at the invitation of the city council in order to establish the first public school. Melanchthon is facing to the right in a striking three quarter profile. The epitaph-like Latin inscription refers to the humanist discussion Melanchthon led on the portrayability of the human character: "1526. Viventis potuit Dvreris Ora Philippi Mentem non Potuit Pingere Docta Manus" (1526. D?rer was able to draw the features of Philipp from life, but his expert hand could not capture his spirit. A.D.). It can be pointed out that the reflection of a window in the eyes verges on the ridiculous in this case, as the indication of clouds in the background show that Melanchthon is supposed to be standing in the open air.Artist:D?RER, Albrecht Title: Philipp Melanchthon Painted in 1501-1550 , German - - graphics : portrait