Dürer

Furst, Herbert, 1874-1945Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.4

Word count: 54K words
Chapters: 6

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Dürer by Herbert FurstAuthor: Furst, Herbert, 1874-1945,Language: English, Class: ND: Fine Arts: Painting, Release Date: Dec 29, 2012

Editor's review

This book is a study of Dürer by Herbert Furst and belongs to the literature of art history and painting criticism. Dürer was a major artist of the German Renaissance, renowned for his prints, paintings, and theoretical writings. Furst writes for the general art enthusiast, focusing on Dürer's artistic profile and historical context rather than on elaborate scholarly investigation. As a public-domain ebook, its value lies in offering an early and highly readable introductory account that helps readers form an overall impression of Dürer as man and artist. It is best read alongside reproductions of Dürer's works; otherwise the reader may remain at the level of text alone. The book's views reflect the tastes and limitations of the author's era and should be treated as a historical interpretation rather than a final verdict. Overall, this book suits readers seeking an introduction to art or background reading before an exhibition; it is not a substitute for professional visual analysis or the latest scholarship.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Beginner readers interested in Renaissance art and Dürer
Art enthusiasts who want a quick background before visiting an exhibition
Learners who need English-language reading material on art criticism
General readers who enjoy artist-biography-style narratives

Not a good fit for

Researchers who need the latest scholarship and detailed visual analysis
Readers expecting high-resolution plates or an art-album presentation
Readers completely new to art history and lacking background knowledge

Reading tips

Look up images of Dürer's representative works to compare with the text while reading
Read the overview chapters first, then explore discussions of specific works according to interest
Note the author's views and compare them with contemporary research to form your own judgment

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Does this book include illustrations of Dürer's works?

As a public-domain ebook, its illustrations depend on the specific edition, and one should generally not expect art-album-quality plates. It is advisable to prepare images of Dürer's works separately and compare them with the text for a more intuitive understanding.

Can I understand it without a background in art history?

Furst writes for general readers in relatively plain language, but the book involves basic concepts of Renaissance art. Readers with no background at all may first learn about Dürer's life and representative works, which will make the book easier to follow.

Are the views in this book still reliable today?

The book was written early, and its views reflect the tastes and limitations of the author's era; they should not be treated as final. Readers may regard it as a historical interpretation while consulting contemporary art-historical research for a more comprehensive understanding.

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About the author

Furst, Herbert, 1874-1945 Author · British · 1874–1945

Herbert Furst (1874–1945) was a British art critic and writer whose works centre on painting, printmaking, and modern art. He paid sustained attention to the relationship between the European artistic tradition and contemporary practice, and his criticism is marked by clear analysis: he approached works through technique and form rather than relying on impressionistic description. One of his works, Dürer, is held in the collection; it focuses on the German Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer and reflects his regard for the traditions of printmaking and drawing. As far as publicly available sources go, details of Furst's life are limited, and his education, specific posts, and circle of acquaintances remain unclear, so a full assessment of his historical standing awaits further material. What is more reliable is that his writing addressed general readers and art lovers, combining rigour with readability, and that he holds a place in early twentieth-century British art criticism and popular art writing.