The Elements of Drawing, John Ruskin’s teaching collection at Oxford

The Elements of Drawing, John Ruskin’s teaching collection at Oxford

Browse: 1470 objects

Reference URL

Actions

Send e-mail

Contact us about this object

Send e-mail

Send to a friend

Adam and Eve Albrecht Dürer

  • Curator’s description:

    Description

    The print illustrates the Fall of Man, as told in Genesis III.1-6: Eve holds the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge (a fig tree) towards Adam in her right hand, having just been given it by the serpent coiled around the Tree. They are accompanied by a parrot, an elk, an ox, a rabbit, a cat and a mouse; Adam grasps an elder tree.

    Ruskin considered this to be Dürer's 'best plate in point of execution, and in that respect unrivalled': every line in the work was doing 'the most and truest work' (Catalogue of Examples). In "Ariadne Florentina" (§§ 128-9 = XXII.381-2), he described it as one of the best works of Renaissance print-making, using the black lines and white paper to great effect; but the closeness of Dürer's effects to chiaroscuro rendered it inferior to work dependent for its effect upon outline, such as Baccio Baldini's engravings to Botticelli's designs. Later (§ 169 = XXII.413), it exemplified the effects that could be obtained with a proper knowledge of anatomy. In "The Stones of Venice", he described how Dürer's melancholic temperament elevated any imperfection, playfulness or apathy in his work to 'nobler terribleness' and 'perfect sublime': the depiction of Adam's head and the various animals demonstrated how the grotesque and melancholy could, as the artist became more knowledgeable, reach the level of the sublime (Stones of Venice, vol. III, ch. iii, § 51 = XI.172-3).

    The sprig of elder above Adam's shoulder was copied (without the parrot) and reproduced as the top part of a plate showing 'Leafage by Durer and Veronese', "Modern Painters", vol. V, pl. 57 = VII, f.p. 89.

  • Details

    Artist/maker
    Albrecht Dürer (1471 - 1528) (engraver)
    Object type
    print
    Material and technique
    engraving
    Dimensions
    248 x 192 mm (sheet)
    Inscription
    In the print, engraved, on the plaque hanging from the branch above Adam's shoulder: ALBERT9 | DVRER | NORICVS | FACIEBAT | AD.1504 [the '9' being a standard abbreviation for 'VS'; 'AD' in the form of Dürer's customary monogram]

    The recto is inaccessible.
    Provenance

    Presented by John Ruskin to the Ruskin Drawing School (University of Oxford), 1875; transferred from the Ruskin Drawing School to the Ashmolean Museum, c.1949.

    No. of items
    1
    Accession no.
    WA.RS.STD.010
  • Subject terms allocated by curators:

    Subjects

  • References in which this object is cited include:

    References

    Schoch, Rainer, Mende, Matthias, and Scherbaum, Anna, Albrecht Dürer: das druckgraphische Werk, 3 (Munich/London/New York: Prestel, 2001-2004), no. 39

    Meder, Josef, Dürer-Katalog, ein handbuch über Albrecht Dürers stiche, radierungen, Holzschnitte, deren zustände, ausgaben und wasserzeichen (Wien: Gilhofer & Ranschburg, 1932), no. 1

    Bartsch, Adam von, Le Peintre Graveur, 21 vols (Vienna: J. von Degen, 1803-1821), cat. vol. VII, pp. 30-31, no. 1

    Ruskin, John, Catalogue of Examples Arranged for Elementary Study in the University Galleries (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1870), cat. Standard no. 10

    Hollstein, F. W. H., German Engravings Etchings and Woodcuts, ca. 1400 - 1700 (Amsterdam: Menno Hertzberger, 1954-), cat. vol. VII, p. 5, no. 1

    Bartsch, Adam von, The Illustrated Bartsch, founding editor Walter L. Strauss, general editor John T. Spike (New York: Abaris Books, 1978-), no. 1001.1

    Ruskin, John, Catalogue of the Reference Series Including Temporarily the First Section of the Standard Series (London: Smith, Elder, [1872]), cat. Standard no. 10

    Ruskin, John, ‘Ariadne Florentina: Six Lectures on Wood and Metal Engraving. Given Before the University of Oxford, in Michaelmas Term, 1872’, Edward T. Cook and Alexander Wedderburn, eds, The Words on John Ruskin: Library Edition, 39 (London: George Allen, 1903-1912), 22

    Ruskin, John, ‘The Ruskin Art Collection at Oxford: Catalogues, Notes and Instructions’, Edward T. Cook and Alexander Wedderburn, eds, The Works of John Ruskin: Library Edition, 39 (London: George Allen, 1903-1912), 21, cat. Standard no. 10

    Ruskin, John, ‘The Stones of Venice’, Edward T. Cook and Alexander Wedderburn, eds, The Works of John Ruskin: Library Edition, 39 (London: George Allen, 1903-1912), 9-11

Location

    • Western Art Print Room

Position in Ruskin’s Collection

Ruskin's Catalogues

  • Ruskin's Catalogue of Examples (1870)

    10. Adam and Eve. (Dürer.)

    His best plate in point of execution, and in that respect unrivalled. Next to it may be placed the coat of arms with the skull. Execution, remember, is to be estimated by the intrinsic value of every line. That is the best in which every separate line is doing the most work.

  • Ruskin's Standard & Reference series (1872)

    10. Adam and Eve. (Dürer.)

    His best plate in point of execution, and in that respect unrivalled. Next to it may be placed the coat of arms with the skull, Edu. 51 . Execution, remember, is to be estimated by the intrinsic value of every line. That is the best in which every separate line is doing the most and truest work.

© 2013 University of Oxford - Ashmolean Museum