Durer

Albrecht Durer [May 21, 1471 – April 6, 1528]. It is worth mentioning Herr Durer within this context. Durer, a shameless self promoter, artist, expert in geometry, printmaker and entrepeneur is connected with the more autonomous direction taken by artists/artisans so familiar to us today. One of the most famous series of works that he produced, the Apocalypse woodcuts, were produced with the intention of selling, distributing and promoting his artistic product.







It is worth making a general point about the relationship between Art practice and Illustration practice. It is fair to say that at the time that Durer was producing work the idea of being an Illustrator [noun] would have been unusual. Durer, as with many other image makers of that time, would have considered himself an artist. But it is worth looking briefly at the nature of the work that he produced, particularly the reproduced/mediated/printed imagery that enabled him to expand his remit so effectively. Thank you Herr Gutenberg. The mechanical press allowed Durer to reproduce on a scale that enabled him to make money and promote his wares. The medium was not yet the message but it did allow for the transmission of commercially viable content [the Apocalypse, very popular in the 15th century]. So in a way the motivation for the production of the work is not dissimilar to that of contemporary Illustration practice, Durer adopted the role of client and creative [although it is likely that he did not actually make a good proportion of the woodcuts himslf, opting to hire craftsmen to realise his images]. In truth what we call him is almost irrelevant, his work operates on a communicative level, he is taking content/stories/ideas which are not his own and clarifying them, visually. This is a form of Illustration I think.