ALDEGREVER, Heinrich, Absalom Killing Amon, 1540
From Heinrich Aldegrever's two engraved self-portraits of 1530 and 1537 at the ages of 28 and 35, it is evident that he was born in 1502, presumabl… [Read biography »]
Signed Heinrich Aldegrever (1502 - 1555), Original Engraving, Absalom Killing Amon, 1540  |
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| Artist: | Aldegrever, Heinrich (1502 - 1555) |
|---|---|
| Title: | Absalom Killing Amon, 1540 |
| Medium: | Original Engraving |
| Image Size: | 5 in x 3 in (12.1 cm x 7.9 cm) |
| Sheet Size: | 4.8 in x 3 in (12.2 cm x 7.6 cm) |
| Framed Size: | 13 1/2 in x 15 in (34 1/3 cm x 38 cm) |
| Signed: | Featuring the signature monogram of Heinrich Aldegrever in the lower left, beneath the date, 1540. |
| Edition: | Lifetime impression, part of 7 plates; The story of Amnon and Tamar |
| Condition: | Excellent |
| Price: Item# 11 | $SOLD Please visit the rest of our ALDEGREVER inventory » |
| Description: | |
This work is an intricate examination of the physics of the human form if not a peek into the human mind. In the foreground Absolom and one of his colleagues gather momentum, raising their arms as they prepare to thrust their swords into Amon who writhes under Absolom's grip. Meanwhile, two onlookers in the background struggle to turn from the gruesome scene. Unfortunately human curiosity gets the better of them, and their faces reveal a mixture of horror and interest as they flinch at the violence unfolding before them. This etching was done in 1540 and is printed on 16th century laid paper. Aldegrever was part of the group with the group known as "The Little Masters". This title indicates the small scale of their works which range in size from that of a postage stamp to a large playing card. These small works were a hot commodity sought by the urban elite and educated merchants of Renaissance Germany. The proliferation of works by the "Little Masters" coincided with the rise and demand for Kunstkammers, which is German for display case. These cases which took their place in Renaissance German households, functioned just as our modern shadow boxes do, displaying their interests and knowledge. It is estimated that the literacy rate in any Renaissance Germany city was only 10-15% and these small works, whose subjects depicted allegories or esoteric references to Roman history and mythology, were intended for an educated and literate audience. That said, the success of these small works depended upon their popularity with those who could understand and appreciate the subject matter. To a certain extent, works of the "Little Masters" functioned as accoutrements of class, in that their ownership and display in a Kunstkammer indicated that the possessor was educated and literate. This particular piece makes reference to a biblical story and it is notable for Aldegrever's elegant depictions of the body, which distinguished him from his contemporaries who were more interested in the details of architectural perspective and landscape. Replete with wiry legs, small heads, and draped clothing, this piece is a wonderful relic of the early stages of Mannerism. Aside from the style of the piece, what is most remarkable is the ability of Aldegrever to compact and depict in remarkable perspective the drama of the murder of Amon all within the space of a small playing card. The artwork of Heinrich Aldegrever can be compared to Callot, Castiglione, Durer, Hollar, Ostade and Rembrandt. | |
| Style: | Old master |
Biography of Heinrich Aldegrever
Heinrich Aldegrever (1502 - 1555)
From Heinrich Aldegrever's two engraved self-portraits of 1530 and 1537 at the ages of 28 and 35, it is evident that he was born in 1502, presumably in Paderborn, home of his parents, Herman and Katherine Trippenmeker, called Aldegrever. Like his father (who had demanded, unsuccessfully, to be executed along with sixteen Paderborn citizens who had been arrested during a religious uprising in 1532), Aldegrever participated in the Protestant Reformation. He established himself permanently in nearby Soest ca. 1525, where he entered the painters' guild around 1526-27, and became a citizen of the city in 1530. His first engraving is dated 1527. Aldegrever's training and course of his presumed Wandejyabr are uncertain, but trips to Nuremberg (according to van Mander, who implies that Aldegrever had worked in Durer's shop), Monster (perhaps as assistant to Ludger Tom Ring), and Bruges or Antwerp (where he could have been in touch with Joos van Cleve) have been proposed.
Aldegrever produced nearly 300 engravings (a third of which were ornamental sheets) and three etchings on iron. He was also active as a painter, and perhaps as a goldsmith. in the latter capacity it is certain that he made at least three silver seats and a signet ring for Duke Wilhelm of Cleves. Although Aldegrever was not a member of the goldsmiths' guild, he apparently taught this craft to his son, Christoph. Aldegrever may also have been a stained-glass painter. Stained-glass windows in Soest (Patroclimilnster) and Conches (Sainte-Foy) have been attributed to Aldegrever; although the latter, which bears his name, may simply be after one of his engravings (B. 252).
In 1531 Aldegrever is mentioned as a cojuror of the Patrocli Shooting Guild, and he participated in the institution of the Reformation in Soest in the same year. 1537 he is mentioned by the satirist Daniel von Soest as having portrayed the judge Johan van Holte and his beloved posing in the nude, according to their wishes. About this time Aldegrever engraved his famous portraits of the Anabaptist leaders Jan van Leyden and Bernhard Knipperdolling (B. 182, B. 183), and in 1540 he engraved portraits of Luther and Melanchthon (B. 184, 185).
Between 1541 and 1549 his activity is uncertain, and he produced no dated engravings, but between 1549 and 1555 he issued his series of the Labors of Hercules (B. 83-95), the Seven Virtues and Seven Deadly Sins (B. 117-123, 124-130), and his remarkable Biblical series treating the stories of Dives and Lazarus (B. 44-48, cat. 37), the Good Samaritan (B. 40-43, Cat. 35), Susannah (B. 30-33), and Lot (B. 14-17).
Aldegrever died between 1555, the last year in which he dated an engraving, and 1561, when his son is recorded as saying that his father had been a capable stained-glass and panel painter. Many of Aldegrever's compositions are highly derivative, and his monogram mimics that of one of his favorite sources, Albrecht Durer. Van Mander reports that Aldegrever was buried very humbly, and that he was only awarded a tombstone (carrying his name and monogram) posthumously, at the behest of an artist from Monster who came seeking Aldegrever only to discover that he had died.
Sources: Allgemeines Kunstlerlexikon 1: 928-32; TbiemeBecker 1: 240-243; Mander, Scbdderboeck, 227-227v; Zschelletzschky, Das graphiscbe Werk Heinrick Aldegrevers, 5-11.
