Praying hands By Albrecht Dürer

 

Praying hands
By Albrecht Dürer
Art Movement: Northern Renaissance

This famous pen and ink drawing was commissioned by Jakob Heller around 1508. It is displayed at the Albertina museum in Vienna, Austria. The drawing was meant to be the center panel of the triptych for the Heller alter. The painting has far greater meaning and emotional appeal when you know the story surrounding it and its creator. Albrecht Dürer was born to a lower class German family. Both he and his brother Albert aspired to become artists but the family lacked the funds necessary to send them both to school. Albrecht won a coin toss and went to the academy in Nuremberg to become an artist while Albert supported him through work in a mine. The plan was that once Albrecht became well known he would fund Albert’s schooling. Alas upon completing his studies and returning home Albrecht found that during his absence his brothers hands had been so damaged from working in the mine that Albert could never become an artist. Albrecht was so distraught that he immortalized his brother’s hands in many of his works. Albrecht is far more famous for his amazing wood carvings than any of his other work. His most famous carvings depict many biblical stories such as The Knight, Death and the Devil, and Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.