53. Albrecht Dürer

Albrecht Dürer etching

Etching
Signed Hh excud. By Hendrick Hondius, attributed to Simon Frisius
11.8 x 19.4 cm

Transcription of Inscription:

ALBERTUS DURERUS, NOREBERGENS
Vir virtute gravis, túmque arte insignis habetur,
   Teutonicae gentis gloria summa suae.
Contulit huic Caesar insignia nobilitatis,
   Tantus honos artis, famáque tanta viri.

Translation of Inscription:

Albrecht Dürer of Nuremberg
He is considered to be a man grave in virtue and famous for his skill, the greatest glory of his Teutonic1 people.  The emperor2 gave him the marks of nobility.  So great was the honour [paid] to his skill, and so great the man’s fame. 

Orenstein 1996 Frisius, no. 143; Hollstein 2008 no. 163

 Karel Van Mander’s biography of Albrecht Dürer 
 Grove Art Online biography

Footnotes:

  1. Perhaps better to translate “German”.
  2. Can be translated as “Caesar”  Cf. note on “Emperor” on the text for 33. Jan Vermeyen.