Olympian Moments in Art

Every four years, the globe celebrates the boundaries that divide it into countries by uniting as one spirit  to glorify the collective we call the human race. It is a marvelous and captivating time which has most of us spectators glued to some form of medium to share this message of unity.

To be honest, it is all about triumph: where winning is the measurement of device: the fastest are measured in milliseconds; perfection is measured by decimal points; the strongest are measured in milligrams; distance is measured by millimeters; and, splash is measured in milliliters.

Victory is determined in fractions. Execution is calculated in years.

These athletes spend their entire lives preparing for the game, the routine, the race, the lift, the shot, the dive. Every waking moment, whether physically, psychologically, or mentally they are preparing, practicing, pondering, dreaming, imagining that they are standing on the top of the podium in the throne of the gods.

It is hard not to be caught up in their dominion. Even as a spectator we feel a part of their achievement.

Olympian moments in art are no different, although most certainly, not the same.

Years upon years might be dedicated to a cycle, a suite, a series and even the documentation or catalogue raisonne to an artist’s particular oeuvre.

March Chagall dedicated a total of twenty five years working on the one hundred five etchings of the Bible Series. Although his dedication was at times intermittent, a quarter of a century was dedicated to the Bible, which Chagall felt was, “the finest piece of poetry every written“.

In fact, Meyer Schapiro, the great art historian said, “If we had nothing of Chagall but his Bible, he would be for us a great modern artist.”

Pablo Picasso, as an octogenarian, completed the three hundred forty seven etching of the 347 Series in a mere seven months. From March 16th to October 5th of 1968, just five years before his death, Picasso displayed his technical grasp in the medium of etching by averaging almost thirteen etchings per week!

The great Dutch artist, Rembrandt, took almost seven years to complete his (greatest) drypoint etching, Christ Healing the Sick also known as The Hundred Guilder, which he completed in 1649.

Christopher White, who wrote a consummate two volume catalogue raisonne on Rembrandt,  Rembrandt’s Etchings. An Illustrated Critical Catalogue said this etching was the “apotheosis of Rembrandt’s activity in etching…”

Albrecht Durer, the progenitor of graphic art in Western civilization started the sixteen woodcuts of the Apocalypse series during his first bachelor journey to Italy in 1494-5 and published them a mere three years later in 1498 (at the tender age of twenty seven).

Adam von Bartsch, curator of the Albertina in Vienna worked tirelessly until his death and spent his last eighteen years to complete his catalogue raisonne of the Italian and Northern school of engraver-painters in no less than twenty-one volumes.

Daniel Wildenstein spent over thirty years compiling his four volume opus of Claude Monet’s oeuvre of original work.

Christian and Yvonne Zervos began cataloguing Picasso’s unique work in 1932 and it was finished posthumously in 1970. The catalogue raisonne encompasses thirty-three volumes.

Frits Lugt is but another Olympian. He not only compiled a catalogue raisonne dedicated to collector’s stamps throughout history (1921) he also worked on a supplement to his original work which he published in 1956. In total, this man spent fifty-seven years of his life dedicated to researching collectors’ stamps throughout history.

The same heart and dedication is shared whether one is an athlete, artist or scholar; because, what they have is immeasurable. They all deserve to exist on the throne of the gods.

Art history is no different. It is full of Olympian moments.

Why Durerpost Products?

I would like to think that the value of Durerpost products and information are self-evident; and they will, eventually promote themselves. But until then, forgive me for giving them a little impetus forward.

Recently at auction (March, to be exact), an Albrecht Durer woodcut, the Annunciation (M. 195, B. 83) from one of his great woodcut cycles,  the Life of a Virgin, was sold at auction for just under $11,000. It was sold as a proof impression before the Latin Text Edition of 1511 with a High Crown watermark (M. 20).

The catalogue raisonne of choice when dealing with Albrecht Durer woodcuts is Joseph Meder’s, Durer-Katalog ein Handbuch Uber Albrecht Durers Stiche, Radierungen, Holzschnitte, Deren Zustande, Ausgaben und Wasserzeichen.

It is a brilliant compilation. Worthy of any collector who collects Albrecht Durer woodcuts and intaglios. It sells for around $100 and can be bought from any of the major rare book house.

It is written, however,  in academic German, which is why Durerpost offers the documentation of Albrecht Durer’s great woodcut cycles in English-translated versions of his catalogue raisonne.

In other words, you can read this: “Prachtvoll, klar, ohne Große Gegensätze, weil ohne Kreuzlage. Unterrand eine Lücke, ebenso im Bergontur zwischen den Flügeln. Vor den weißen Kritzeln in deer untersten Türschwellschattierung (Blasius, Braunschweig). Wz. 62 Ochsenkopf oder 20 Hohe Krone.”

Or, you can read it in English as this: “Magnificent, clear, without large contrasts, because without crosshatching. Bottom edge a gap, likewise mountain contour between the wings. Before the white scribble in the lowest threshold (bottom door sill) shading (Blasius, Braunschweig). Ox Head with Five Petal Flower, Triangle and Two Cross Lines with Single Long Flower Stalk watermark (M. 62) dating the paper from 1441 to 1481(?) — 1519; or, High Crown watermark (M. 20) dating paper from 1480-1525.”

In April of this year, at another major auction house, another Albrecht Durer woodcut, The Whore of Babylon (M. 177, B. 73), from his great woodcut cycle, the Apocalypse, was sold at auction for $34,000.  The high estimate was set at $18,000! It was sold as a proof impression before the German or Latin text edition of 1498. But with this woodcut, it did not have a watermark.

How do you know it was not a later impression without text? Simply, by knowing what the documentation says about this particular impression and examining the art.

In this example, the German reads, “Kräftig, schwarz, auch überschwärzt, ganzrandig bis auf das r. untere eck, Drachenhals- und Mühlsteinlücken beginnend”. Wz. 53 Reichsapfel.

In English the catalogue raisonne reads, “Strong (rich), dark, also overly dark, complete edges to right lower corner, dragon neck (throat) and millstone gaps beginning. Large Imperial Orb with Cross and Star watermark (M. 53) dating the paper from 1497-1520.”

With all due respect, there is some serious money being spent on some historic prints and, you deserve to know what you are buying.

Hundreds of hours have been spent translating Joseph Meder’s definitive research of Albrecht Durer’s print oeuvre into English, and we are proud to disseminate this information as well as share the importance of the artist’s work itself.

So, to answer the title question, why Durerpost products? We hope that the benefits are apparent.