May 21 marks the 550th anniversary of the birth of the great German artist, graphic artist and art theorist Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528). The book exhibition "Liberation of the Spirit" is dedicated to his oeuvre.
The master lived and worked during the Reformation and the Great Peasants' War. Many talented scientists, writers, artists of that time were looking for new ways to develop science and culture. Albrecht Dürer was the figure of the era who sought to free the human spirit from the shackles of religious dogmas.
The versatility of talent, the wide scope of interests and the diverse knowledge allowed Dürer to become the largest European master of engraving, the first art theorist among Northern European artists, the author of practical guidance on fine and decorative arts, the founder of comparative anthropometry, to study mathematics, astronomy, optics, geography and writing poems. He left a notable mark both in military engineering and in the development of printed book graphics.
The purpose of the exhibition is to pay homage to the brilliant Renaissance master, to remind visitors of the artist's diverse achievements, to interest readers with the works of the author. The exhibition presents non-fiction publications dedicated to his life and work, research of the artist's handwritten heritage – his letters, diaries, and autobiography. There are publications dedicated to Dürer as a scientist, reissues and translations of theoretical treatises of the author on measurement, proportion, fonts, and fortifications. Works dedicated to the study of individual visual themes and works, as well as art albums and reproductions of drawings, paintings and graphic works of the great master are displayed. Among them is the reissue of the famous collection of Italian painter, architect and writer Giorgio Vasari "The Lives of the Most Celebrated Painters, Sculptors, and Architects" in which the author was one of the first to address the graphic work of the artist; study of Dürer's drawings by French art critic and philanthropist S. Ephrussi of the late 19th century; authoritative editions of C.G. Nesselstraus , E. Ullmann, M. Brion, E. Panofsky, etc. Reproductions of the most famous and significant pictorial portraits, drawings, samples of landscapes, individual pieces from graphic series, "master engravings", reissues of famous woodworkers to the work of S. Brant "Ship of Fools", reproductions of coats of arms and exlibris created by the artist are exhibited.
Original first printers of the 15th – the first half of the 16th century, associated with the creative heritage of Dürer, are presented in the Book Museum. These are such famous publications as the "Chronicle of the World" by G. Schedel (Nurnberg, 1493) and "The Collection of works of St. Ambrosius Mediolanensis" (Basel, 1492) with the first woodworks by Dürer. The engraved image of the printing brand of the Parisian publisher, Iodocus Badius, and the individual engravings of the work of the engraving artists of Albrecht Dürer s workshop are placed in the editions of letters by the Italian philologist and poet Politiano (1526), collections of works by the nun Hrotsvitha (Nuremberg, 1501) and Cicero (Augsburg, 1531)..
Dürer's heritage is an invaluable contribution to the development of human civilization, which inspires and surprises artists and lovers of ideal compositions, complex semantic subjects, refined and perfect manner of execution for more than five centuries.
The exhibition, located in the circular corridor of the 3rd floor and the Book Museum (347), runs from May 21 to July 31, 2021.
The end date is subject to change.
The opening hours of the exhibition correspond to the library’s opening hours.
Admission is by the library card or by the Social and Cultural Centre ticket.
The books presented at the exhibition can be ordered through the electronic catalogue of the National Library of Belarus.
For more info: (+375 17) 293 29 80.
Gallery and Exhibition Department
