In passing our judgment on the merit of Albert Durer, we must not lose sight of the age in which he lived, 07: the circumstances under which he practised. In him the art made an important step ; but so wedded were the peo ple of Germany to the stiff and primitive formality of their old gothic school, that any violent departure from its taste would have met with as little honour as support. The world is exceedingly apt to regard the successful ac complishment of difficulties as a merit, however much these difficulties may be self-created, and may arise from mistaken views of excellence ; and they hold as unworthy of consideration the simple efforts of a pure taste. The old German artists, accustomed to hide the' awkward and inelegant form of their figures under the refinement of minute and laborious detail, had accustomed their country men to consider this trickery as the chief, if not the only merit of the art ; so that, had Durer done violence to their prejudices in favour of the old gothic manner, he would not probably have been so successful as he was in improv ing the taste of the country. The stiff formality, there fore, and overcareful pencilling of this master, is not to be laid to the charge of bad taste, so much as to judgment in uniting with his merits in colouring, and rigid fidelity to the appearance of nature, a more vigorous design, and correct composition, with an animated expression of countenance as yet unknown. His engravings are replete with fancy and deep consideration of the subject meant to be portrayed, and are executed with a bold and masterly touch, such as might be expected from the original works of an able master. For this art assumes a much higher character, when the painter himself possesses the power of exhibiting his compositions with all the advantages of original vigour, instead of subjecting them to be enfeebled in the translation by another hand. No artist ever pos sessed this advantage in greater perfection than Albert Durer ; the dexterity of his touch, and the admirable exe cution of every part of his engravings, shows that he was equally pre-eminent over his predecessors as well as con temporaries, in this art as in painting.
The wars and persecutions of the Reformation, which at this period began to rage in many quarters of Germany, do not appear to have greatly affected the progress of art in that country. The in taste introduced by Albert Durer, were carried on by his successors, among whom we may mention Schwartz, Rotenhaunmer, Elz haimer, Bauer, Netscher, and various others. Netscher had two sons, both painters of high reputation. The pro ductions of all three are much esteemed and sought after in Germany. But the German school loses its interest as soon as the peculiarity of its gothic character begins to become blended, and smoothed down into the purer taste which progressively diffused itself from the great focus of the fine arts in Italy. The specimens of its early man ner are now collected with that veneration which attaches to objects of national antiquity, and are valued for the wonderful dexterity of microscopic neatness, more than as objects of the fine arts ; yet in this view alone many of them possess a surprising degree of merit. They are principally to be seen in the collections of Vienna and Munich, and, above all, in that unique and valuable assem blage of ancient German art, belonging to M. Boisere, at Stutgardt. A set of lithographic engravings have been
lately undertaken of this valuable collection, in imitation of those recently executed of the Munich gallery, but in a much superior style of excellence. \Ve had occasion lately to examine the first specimens of this work, which have not as yet been given to the world, and we have no hesitation in pronouncing them to be by far the finest pro ductions that have yet issued from the Lithographic press, independent of the great curiosity to the arts, in an histo rical point of view, of the subjects themselves. This col lection consists, exclusively, of paintings of the ancient gothic school, many of which are remarkable in various points of view ; either as specimens of the different modes of practice, as demonstrative of the manners and history of the times, or of the progress of art, and many of them are valuable fur their intrinsic merit as producticns of art. Among these last is a remarkable head of Christ, by Hein nig ; a full face in the noblest simplicity of manner, and painted with the most scrupulous delicacy and truth ; in which the serene composure, and searching glance of con scious omniscience, is so irresistibly startling, that one feels overawed, and incapable of beholding it stedfastly. Of all the efforts of art, we never recollect to have expe rienced the force of expression so powerful and utterly discomposing, as that produced by this heavenly counte nance. We seem actually in presence of the godhead, and under the influence which such an idea would excite. It is unusual among the innumerable pictures in which the meek Jesus is introduced, to find him otherwise represent ed than as the man of sorrows, and, under the influence of grief, partaking far more of his human than of his heaven ly nature ; but this remarkable countenance beams with an expression so remote from any mortal feeling, so un utterably divine that it leads us unconciously to avert the eyes from its penetrating gaze. We have seen several sculptures attributed to the ancient Gauls, representing the head of their Apollo, or god Mithros, which have a striking resemblance to the style of this head of Christ; and, in fact, have been sometimes substituted as such, and built into the walls of Christain churches, as may be seen at Geneva, Orange, and particularly at Baden, where the resemblance is so striking, that one might suppose the sculptured head the original from which the picture had been copied. • As a proof of the knowledge of chiaro scuro, possessed by the ancient German masters, there is a remarkable pic ture in the same collection of St. Christopher, wading in the sea with the child on his shoulder ; in which the paint er has ventured on the bold attempt of representing the morning sun in full splendour, and exposed to view. It is managed with such uncommon success, that the whole expanse of ocean appears in motion, with the flickering lights that dance upon the light waves, and dazzle the spectator with the horizontal beams that seem to shoot through every corner of the picture. Notwithstanding the sharp lights caught by the light airy clouds, and upon the scrupulously minute detail of plants that hang from the rocks, the harmony of the whole is admirably preserv ed, and with such clearness in the shadows as is seldom exhibited. Were these ancient works more known, the merits of the gothic school would doubtless become more highly prized.