{"product_id":"melencolia-i-albrecht-durer-1","title":"Melencolia I - Albrecht Dürer","description":"\u003cp\u003eA seminal 1514 engraving by Albrecht Dürer, depicting a winged figure in a state of intellectual paralysis amidst a collection of symbolic objects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlbrecht Dürer's 1514 engraving, Melencolia I, is one of the most analysed works in the history of Western printmaking. It depicts a winged personification of Melancholy, seated in a state of deep contemplation. She holds a compass in one hand, while her other hand supports her head. Her expression is one of frustration or paralysis, suggesting the inability of the creative mind to realise its visions despite possessing the necessary tools.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition is crowded with symbolic objects. A large, irregular polyhedron dominates the left side, accompanied by a sphere and various carpentry tools, including a saw, a plane, and nails. A small putto sits upon a millstone, scribbling on a tablet. Above them, an hourglass, a bell, and a magic square are mounted on the wall. In the background, a comet streaks across the sky, illuminating a distant sea and landscape. These elements reflect the Renaissance fascination with geometry, alchemy, and the temperaments of the human psyche.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDürer employed a sophisticated range of hatching and cross-hatching techniques to create texture and depth. The metallic sheen of the polyhedron and the soft folds of the figure's drapery demonstrate his technical mastery of the copper plate. The work is often grouped with his other master engravings, Saint Jerome in His Study and Knight, Death and the Devil, as part of a trio of works that explore different aspects of the human condition. The inclusion of the magic square, where each row, column, and diagonal adds up to thirty-four, further demonstrates the mathematical rigour applied to this enigmatic scene. It remains a primary example of the intellectual depth characteristic of the Northern Renaissance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/melencolia-i-johannes-wierix\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eMelencolia I by Johannes Wierix\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/allegory-of-life-giorgio-ghisi\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eAllegory of Life by Giorgio Ghisi\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Albrecht Dürer","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59147270390095,"sku":null,"price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":59147274092879,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":59147274125647,"sku":null,"price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59147274158415,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59147274191183,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59147274223951,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59147274256719,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59147274289487,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59147274322255,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59147274355023,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59147274387791,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59147274420559,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Melencolia-I_Poster_CompositorV1_1792109275683.jpg?v=1792299473","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.com\/products\/melencolia-i-albrecht-durer-1","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}