Exercise 1

As you know, Italian Renaissance artists revived the old Greco-Roman tradition of portraiture.  Northern Renaissance painters, however, took this tradition a step further, exploring self-portraiture.  The first artist to portray himself was the German painter and engraver, Albrecht Dürer.  At age 22 he painted his first self-portrait, and at four-year intervals he painted two more.  Take a look at Dürer's Self-Portrait at 22, Self-Portrait at 26, and Self-Portrait at 28.  Aside from the fact that all the paintings represent the same man, what similarities and differences among them can you see? How does the artist's perception of himself change over time? Why do you think artists such as Dürer would take such an intense interest in their own image?

Exercise 2

By the early 1500s, Antwerp had become one of the most prosperous and cultured cities in Northern Europe.  Take a moment to read more about the history of Antwerp during this period.  As you read, give special attention to how the city used its wealth to nurture humanist learning and art.  When you finish, look at some exemplary works by a few of Antwerp's leading artists: Saint Jerome Penitent (1509/12) by Jan Gossaert; Joris Vezeleer (c. 1518) by Joos van Cleve; Ill-Matched Lovers (1520/25) by Quentin Massys; The Rest on the Flight to Egypt (c. 1530) by Maerten van Heemskerck; The Martyrdom of Saint Catherine (c. 1540) by an anonymous painter; and The Temptation of Saint Anthony (C. 1550/75) by a follower of Pieter Bruegel the Elder.

What common interests, themes, and/or techniques do these paintings display? Can you detect elements of a distinct Antwerp style? If so, what taste and values does that style represent? How do these works reflect a humanist spirit?