Melencolia I Albrecht Dürer
Melencolia I is an engraving by the German Renaissance
master Albrecht Dürer. It is an allegorical composition, a large print that is
full of complex symbolism. Scholars have linked the engraving to themes of
alchemy, astrology, theology, and philosophy.
The engraving shows a dark brooding winged female figure who
sits dejected and frustrated. She looks as though she has suffered a temporary
defeat as there is an atmosphere of gloom. The downcast inactive infant beside
her, and the wretched lean dog at her feet intensify this feeling of
despondency. (The winged infant beside her is 'genius', an accompanying
spirit.)
In the background, a star or bright light shines as if
expelling the dark bat that is holding a scroll with 'Melencolia I' written on
it. (The title of the engraving). This suggests the work is related to a state
of melancholy, or as we would more likely say today, depression. It has been
suggested by scholars that the engraving represents the melancholy of the
creative artist, and that it is a spiritual self-portrait of Dürer himself. In
ancient times melancholy was considered to be a result of an excess of black
bile and that melancholics were prone to insanity. During the renaissance they
thought melancholy connected to creative genius as well as madness.
The relationship to mathematical knowledge is seen by
instruments of geometry, architecture, and carpentry that surround the figure.
These symbols include a compass the figure is holding, a geometrical solid
(truncated rhombohedron), a scale, and hourglass, as well as other instruments.
On the wall is a magic square where the numbers in rows and columns add up to
34 in all directions. Two other interesting points about the square are that
the middle two numbers in the bottom row are the date that the engraving was
done 15 14; and the outer two numbers, 4 and 1 could be interpreted as the
fourth and first letter of the Latin alphabet, representing the letters D A,
Dürer's monogram.
The figure seems to struggle, powerless to attain a higher
level of abstract thought. A quest for all artists perhaps. The ladder in the
background alludes to her desire to ascend and attain the higher stages of
thought, but she is paralysed and unable to create, as seen in the unused tools
around her. The seven-rung ladder is a feature of alchemical symbolism, the
rungs representing the seven metals, the operations of alchemy, as well as
associated heavenly bodies. The hourglass shows that time is running out.
There are many contrasts within the work. The figure's bright
eyes show an acuteness of mind which contrasts with her weary pose. She wants
to create, and is surrounded by objects of science, craft and art, the
instruments of creation, yet doesn't or can't act. She holds a compass, an
instrument of geometry, precision and order, but she is surrounded by chaos.
Melencolia I is depression, dejection, darkness and
frustration; the melancholia of an artist. It appears this darkness of
melancholy was something that Dürer knew personally as the complex symbolism he
has put in the work continues today to be a subject of discussion and
interpretation.
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