The Historical Context
The Metamorphosis of the Flying Creature
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| Detail of the bat-like beast at the top left-hand side of "Melencolia I" which was engraved by Albrecht Dürer in 1514 |
At first sight, the cartouche at the top left-hand side of Dürer's "Melencolia
I" seems to be a flying bat, bearing the title of the engraving on its open
wings. The length and thickness of the tail both look oversized, but we can
suppose that Dürer was using his artistic licence to amplify the visual impact
of the swooping beast. Nearly all species of bats have tails, even if most (if
not all) of these, are shorter and thinner than the one that Dürer has
depicted.
But looking again with more attention, we can see that, quite weirdly,
the body of the animal is placed above its wings, which is impossible unless
the bat is flying upside-down! Closer examination suggests that this is not
the case, as the mouth and eyes of the beast are clearly those of an animal
with an upright head. All the same, we might well ask where the hind feet are,
and how the creature can possibly make a safe landing without these!
Looking once again more closely, we can see another, even more troubling
detail, in that the “wings,” which carry the title of the engraving, are in
fact two large strips of ragged skin, ripped outwards from the belly, as if
the animal has disembowelled itself!
Judging from the thickness of its tail and the form of its head, the
airborne creature was initially a rat before it began its painful
metamorphosis. It has since carried out an auto-mutilation, and is now showing
its inner melancholy to the outer world, but at the same time flying free with
its hard-earned wings!
Symbolically, the cartouche is telling us that ""Melencolia I" is a painful
metamorphosis which precedes a liberating "Renaissance!""
How Melancholy leads to Renaissance
During 1514 CE the artist's mother,
Barbara Dürer
(née Holper), passed away, or “died hard” as he described it, and we can
therefore suppose that Dürer’s grief would have been a strong catalyst of the
very melancholic atmosphere depicted in his “Melencolia I.” The melancholy,
referred to in the title of the engraving, is illustrated by an extraordinary
collection of symbols that fill the scene. Some of these are tools associated
with craft and carpentry. Others are objects and instruments that refer to
alchemy, geometry or mathematics. In addition to the bat-like beast, the sky
also contains what might be a
moonbow
and a comet.
Further symbols include a
putto seated
on a millstone, and a robust winged person, also seated, which could well be
a metaphorical self-portrait. These, and many other symbols, are the object of
multiple interpretations by various authors. Some scholars consider the
engraving to be an
allegory,
which can be interpreted through the correct comprehension of the symbols,
while others think that the ambiguity is intentional, and designed to resist
complete interpretation. I tend to agree with the latter point of view, and
think that the confusion symbolises the unfinished studies and works of the
main melancholic figure; an apprentice
angel, who
believes that despite his worldly efforts, he lacks inspiration, and is not
making sufficient progress.
Notwithstanding the melancholy that reigns, there is still hope: The 4 x 4
magic square, for example, has the same dimension as
Agrippa's Jupiter square, a talisman that supposedly counters melancholy. The intent expression of
the main winged person suggests a determination to overcome his doubts, and
transcend the obstacles that continue to block his progression. Positive
symbols of a resurrection or "Renaissance" are also plainly visible,
not only in the hard-earned wings of the flying creature, but also in the
growing wings that Dürer gives himself in his portrayal as the apprentice
angel.
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"Melencolia I" engraved by Albrecht Dürer in 1514 |
On page 171 of his book entitled "The Life and Art of Albrecht Dürer,"
Erwin Panofsky
considers that "Melencolia I" is the spiritual self-portrait of the artist.
There is indeed much resemblance between the features of the apprentice angel,
and those of the engraver in previous self-portraits.
Dürer had already adopted a striking religious pose in his last declared self-portrait of 1500 CE, giving himself a strong resemblance to Christ by respecting the iconic pictorial conventions of the time. In other presumed self-portraits, (but not declared as such), Dürer had also presented himself in a Christic manner; in his c.1493 "Christ as a Man of Sorrows;" and in his 1503 "Head of the Dead Christ." What is more, Dürer inserted his self-portraits in altarpieces; in 1506 for the San Bartolomeo church in Venice ("Feast of Rose Garlands"); in 1509 for the Dominican Church in Frankfurt ("Heller Altarpiece"); and in 1511 for a Chapel in Nuremberg's "House of Twelve Brothers" ("Landauer Altarpiece" or "The Adoration of the Trinity"). Thus Dürer was already a master of religious self-portraiture when he engraved "Melencolia I" in 1514, and he might well have continued in the same manner. But this time, probably because the theological, philosophical and humanistic ideas of the Renaissance were not only spiritually, but also intellectually inspiring, he went even further, and gave himself wings!
Acknowledgement
Passages of "The Historical Context" are inspired by the writings of Bonnie James, in her excellent article "Albrecht Dürer: The Search for the Beautiful In a Time of Trials" (Fidelio Volume 14, Number 3, Fall 2005), a publication of the Schiller Institute.
Latest Development
After reading this article,
Miguel Angel Amela
(who like me, is not only interested in magic squares, but also in
"Melencolia I") sent me his thanks by email, and enclosed "a paper of 2020
about a painful love triangle..." His paper is entitled
"A Hidden Love Story"
and interprets the "portrait of a young woman with her hair done up," which was first
painted
by
Albrecht Dürer
in 1497, and then reproduced in an
engraving
by
Wenceslaus Hollar, almost 150 years later in 1646. Miguel's story is captivating, and I wish to
thank him for kindly authorising me to publish it here.
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