Studies naar schilderkunst van Albrecht Dürer 1850

This lithograph presenting studies of paintings by Albrecht Dürer was made by Charles Nicolas Lemercier in France in the early nineteenth century. Lemercier’s print reproduces, in comparative fashion, some of the key elements of the German master’s style. The nineteenth century was a moment in which the art academy became a central institution in the regulation of taste and aesthetic value. We see this concern for artistic standards in the way Lemercier presents his studies of Dürer: the artist invites us to make comparisons. He emphasizes the skill required to create the illusions of painting, the capacity for representing natural appearances. The artwork offers a telling insight into how artistic tradition was taught, transmitted, and studied in the French academy. As historians, we can use resources such as historical documents, teaching manuals, and artists' correspondence to better understand how these institutional forces have shaped the production and reception of art.