Plate 2. Albrecht Dürer´s famous engraving Melencolia I (1514) is filled with secret symbols. Its ambivalent, saturnine character reflects a turning point in Dürer´s life. The magic square in the upper right is a so-called Jupiter square; it transforms into positive values whatever appears negative if seen under the saturnine aspect. The year when his engraving was executed was the one in which Dürer´s mother died; the date of her death, 17. 5. 1514, in the magic square.
Dürer´s engravings "Rider, Death an Devil" and "Jerome in his Cell", which were executed at the same time, make us understand which problems plagued the artist. "It is the countenance of old Saturn that looks at us, but we have the right to recognize Dürer´s own face in it as well" (Panofsky-Saxl).
Melencolia I was made for emperor Maximilian, who was regarded as "Saturn-fearing"; it was meant to help him against melancholy, gloom, and sadness.
El libro se puede conseguir aquí (aunque pierde calidad en las imagenes al ser escaneado): http://www.hourofthetime.com/1-LF/October2012/Hour_Of_The_Time_10012012-The_Mystery_of_Numbers.pdf
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario