Part 20 (2/2)

Before closing this part ofmust be said of Durer's influence on other artists It is one of the foibles ofinfluences, a process of the sarowths on a frosted pane No one would deny that reseuish the to fancifulness, which is the well-nigh hopeless task It is often forgotten that similar circumstances produce similar effects, and that coincidences frootten that the influence that produces rivalry is stronger, more important, and less easily estiiarisinal and fertile natures The stireat creative personality often is ue, than where they are many and obvious In Durer's day the study and iht about the Renascence in Italy was the fashi+on that in successive waves was passing over Europe andthe future He hiainsaid, and again as an exaainst and surpassed This fashi+on, this trend of opinion and hope, was the significance behind the effect produced on hiinality succeededan eddy in that stream It was the tide behind him which so powerfully stirred and stimulated Durer

The resemblances traceable between certain still life studies by the two nificant coh Jacopo Durer probably first felt the energy and true direction of the great tidal waves which were then rolling forth frona's influence was probably less the effect of a personal affinity than that through hireat and master influence of those days was more one of hope, indefinite, incoe and assured discovery Raphael may have received it froures and incidents fros are supposed to have been adapted in certain works, if not of his own hand at least proceeding from his immediate pupils For Raphael, Durer was a proof of the excellence of human nature in respect to the arts, even when it could not form itself on the immediate study and contemplation of antiques, and thus added to the zest and expectation hich he ireat nancy due to their own efforts, that of their contemporaries and immediate predecessors, and that due to their elo, titian, and Correggio were destined to be the signets by which this great poas to be most often and clearly stamped on the work of future artists

From the unhappy location of his life Durer was debarred froenerations The influences which helped to shape him were no doubt at work on all the more eminent artists, his fellow-countryk Grien, to mention only the elect What the stimulus of his achievements, of his renown, ; yet we nificant than any actual traces of iiarism from his works, which can with difficulty and for the ht honificant too we may be sure than his effect upon his pupils and other ners, in whose work actual imitation or adaption of his creations is more certain and more abundant His pictures, plates, and woodcuts were copied both in Italy and in the North, both as exercises for the self-improvement of artists and to supply a deenius and skill He was not destined to lend the impress of his splendid personality to the tide of fashi+on like the great Italians; their influence was to supersede his even in the North

This is obvious: but who shall compare or estiained froed from the reserve and lack of proper issue froreat tide of the Renaissance has spent its ed in the constant movement of life--that power by which he moves us to commiserate his circumstances and to feel after the iven us had he been more happily situated?

[Illustration: THE LAST SUPPER Woodcut, p 53]

II

Only to coelo's sonnets with that of the doggerel rhyive us sos to those of the great Italian Both borrow the general idea of the subject, treatment, and form of their poems from the fashi+on around theelo's case called for elevated subject, intiinative treatment, and adequacy of form, whereas none of these were called for frohed at the rudeness of his verses, it was not that they theelo's verse was often crabbed and rude, but the scholarshi+p and pedantry of Italy forbore to laugh at that rudeness, because a nise its vital power and noble passion as of higher i rhymes, Durer shows himself a true child of the Renascence, at least in intention; and was proud of a desire for universal excellence

When I received this fro poe it is known full well A man of letters now doth dwell, One of our Lord's most useful men, He is so clever with his pen, And others knows so well to hit, And make ridiculous it; And he has made a jest ofwrote, But as he likesstock of me, And says I'm like the Cobbler, he Who criticised Apelles' art

With this he tries to make me smart, Because he thinks it is for me To paint, and not write poetry

But I have undertaken this (And will not stop for hi I can, For which will bla, And to naught else his , To him, as to the notary, It haps, who lived here as do we, In this our town To him was known To write one form and one alone

Two men came to him with a need That he should draw them up a deed; And he proceeded very well, Until their names he came to spell: Gotz was the first name that perplexed, And Rosenstammen was the next

The Notary was much astonished, And thus his clients he ad, These na; Franz and Fritz[84] I know full well, But of no others have heard tell”

And so he drove away his clients, And people mocked his little science

To s I will know

Not only writing will I do, But learn to practise physic too; Till ood this painter's medicines do me!”

Therefore hear and I will tell Some wise receipts to keep you well

A little drop of alkali, Is good to put into the eye; He who finds it hard to hear, Should out be free, Not wine but water drink should he; He ould live to be a hundred, Will see my counsel has not blundered

Therefore I will still h at times

So the Painter with hairy beard Says to the Writer who mocked and jeered

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 84: Equivalent to our John Doe and Richard Roe]

PART IV

DuRER'S IDEAS

[Illustration]

CHAPTER I