Kingdom Arts and Sciences Competition – Oil painting based on the 1490’s portrait of Barbara Durer by her son

Barbara Durer, by Albrecht Durer

Source: Based on Albrecht Durer’s painting of his Mother Barbara Durer in 1490.

Goal

Create a painting using Albrecht Durer’s painting of his mother as the basis, and incorporating an image of my mother.
Background Information

I chose this painting to be the central focus of my pentathlon entry a couple years ago. Albrecht Durer has always been one of my favorite artists and his painting of his mother always interested me. It was done very early in his painting career and is part of a set of paintings he did of his parents. It is one of his earlier paintings, and is more simplistic compared to the one he did of his father but paintings of women at that time generally were. He had a deep respect for his mother and I see it in the painting. She is not overly adorned, or embellished but does not have that demeaner of boasting piety that I see in other paintings even with the rosary in her hands.  The Steuchlin and wulsthaube indicate a certain status with the length, but the dress is very basic. She holds rosary beads in her hands to indicate piety. All in all, I see a person deeply respected by the painter.

Kingdom Arts and Sciences Event – Collection of Silverpoint Sketches and Studies based on Albrecht Durers early drawings.

Purpose

This is a collection of silver point sketches. Some of these are studies of Durer sketches or contemporaries to learn how shapes were modeled, some are based on live models as suggested to do by Cennini to study form, and lastly some of them are used to practice drawing the figures used in the oil painting as part of the pentathlon project.

My goal is to have a better understanding of the technique of using silverpoint, which in turn also aids in improving the drawing skills needed for preparatory sketches in future paintings.

Background

Silverpoint was a method of drawing that was popular from medieval times up until the end of the 16^th century.  It was used on manuscripts, panels and for studies.

Silver point is one of a variety of metal point mediums which transfers particles of metal to a surface. Common types of metal used in during this time were silver, gold, lead, tin, brass and copper.  One advantage of silver point is its permanence as well as the fine precise lines it could create. It was soft enough to be smooth but didn’t blunt as quickly

Portrait of an old lady and young woman by Albrecht Durer, Silver point

as the lead or tin that was used before it. However, like most metals, the support needed to be prepared with a ground to be able to leave a mark.

Lead could be applied directly to paper or parchment without a ground so that makes me think that some of the illuminated manuscripts used a lead stylus to draw out the miniatures. Cennini does say that you can apply pounce to a surface such as parchment to give it enough tooth to take the marks, so that is another option too.

In a few months the silver point lines in my drawings will tarnish and go from a light grey to a softer brown. Drawings done in goldpoint will not tarnish.

The use of silverpoint declined at the end of the 16th century as more artists were looking for a method that didn’t use a support that was so labour intensive. The support was treated with hide glue and finely ground bone ash to be able to have enough tooth to leave a mark. When graphite became available later at the end of the 16^th century it was preferable. It was easier to use, could be applied straight to paper and was erasable.

Kingdom Arts and Sciences – Paint Brushes made during the 15th Century

The methods for constructing paint brushes during the 15^th Century remained the same for many years. During the 15^th century brushes would have been made similar to the instructions given in Cennino D’ Andrea Cennini’s Il Libro del’Arte (early 1400’s) and continued in a similar way until the 1700’s.  Cennini describes two types of brushes being used. Minever brushes and Hogs Bristle brushes. Due to availability of materials I have made some substitutions, mostly in the fur but have followed the Cennini’s process as much as possible. Cennini is not overly descriptive other than the basic steps. So some of the process is based on a class hand out from Lady Samin (Sala Chapman) on making brushes.

Kingdom Arts and Sciences Event – Steuchlein and Wulstaube based on Painting of Barbara Durer.

Source: Based on Albrecht Durer’s painting of his Mother Barbara Durer in 1490.

Goal

Create a 15th century head covering based on the painting of Albrecht Durer mother Barbara made in 1490.

Approach

I have looked at various examples but am basing this project on the head covering in the Barbara Durer painting.  I have not found any surviving examples so most of the construction is done by looking at examples. There are many examples in paintings.

The one in Barbara Durer’s painting was modest. She was painted by her son, and was considered pious so it makes sense she was not in gold flecked covering.

I did not find any surviving examples, but there are many images. So, I have looked to those who have already made one online and tried to see what would work for me.

Portrait of Barbara Durer (1490)	Hans Schüchlin(?), Double portrait of a man and his wife, 1479. Tempera	Swabian School, circa 1515 Portrait of a Patrician Lady

Kingdom A & S event – 15th Century German Gown based on painting of Barbara Durer

In a very good decision by event staff the Kingdom Arts and Sciences event has been postponed until a date to be determined.  I was on track to have all done for March 28th, but when the decision was made I put some things to the side.  Below is a status on all the projects, with some of the documentation.

The five entries in this project are based on the painting below of Barbara Durer by her son Albrecht Durer. I will show the other entries in subsequent posts.

Goal

To create a German overdress in a style similar to the painting of Barbara Durer by Albrecht Durer’s painting (1490) that I can wear to events.

Approach

I created my pattern based on the image from the painting and filling in the blanks from other paintings of the time, and area. I don’t do a lot of hand sewing, but did do this one entirely by hand.

Research

In looking at other paintings I have noticed that the front closure and general shape is similar to that of the Swabian dresses but less flashy (less embroidery). Barbara was from Nuremberg which is an area north of Swabia, but still in the southern portion of the country. The fashion could have been influenced by the Swabian dress, or more likely the plainer style was a common style that was the basis that was embelished for the regional Swabian fashion.

The images below are from 1490, 1503 and 1492. The first two have rather loose wide sleeves that go past the wrist, and the front is open to about the mid belly with a fastener at the neck. There is a wide band of trim around the neckline and the opening. Both have a belt below the bust.  I do not see a line to indicate that the bodice portion is separate from the skirt so have decided to make mine more like a kirtle. The last one is considered to be Swabian. It has fitted sleeves with openings, but many images from the same Babenburg Famly Tree painting have no openings in the sleeves. It is much more elaborate in terms of embroidery.