First my willing service to you, dear Sir.
I received a letter from you on the Thursday before Palm
Sunday, together with the emerald ring, and went immediately
to the man from whom I got the rings. He will give me back
my money for it, although it is a thing that he does not
like to do; however, he has given me his word and he must
hold to that. Do you know that the jewelers buy emeralds
abroad and sell them here at a profit? But my friends tell
me that the other two rings are well worth 6 ducats apiece,
for they say that they are fine and clear and contain no
flaws. And they say that instead of taking them to the
valuer you should enquire for such rings as they can show
you and then compare them and see whether they are like
them; and if when I got them by exchange I had been willing
to lose 2 ducats on the three rings, Bernard Holzbeck, who
was present at the transaction, would have bought them of
me. I have since sent you a sapphire ring by Franz Imhof, I
hope it has reached you. I think I made a good bargain at
that place, for they offered to buy it of me at a profit on
the spot. But I shall find out from you, for you know that I
understand nothing about such things and am forced to trust
those who advise me.
The painters here you must know are very unfriendly to me.
They have summoned me three times before the magistrates,
and I have had to pay 4 florins to their School. You must
know too that I might have gained much money if I had not
undertaken to make the painting for the Germans, for there
is a great deal of work in it and I cannot well finish it
before Whitsuntide; yet they only pay me 85 ducats for it.
[Editor's note: Bellini at this time received 100 ducats for
a large picture]. That, you know, will go in living
expenses, and then I have bought some things, and have sent
some money away, so that I have not much in hand now; but I
have made up my mind not to leave here until God enables me
to repay you with thanks and to have too florins over
besides. I should easily earn this if I had not got to do
the German picture, for, except the painters, everyone
wishes me well.
Please tell my mother to speak to Wolgemut about my brother,
and to ask him whether he can give him work until I get
back, or whether he can find employment with others.
[Editor's note: Dürer's brother was Hans Dürer, who was
fifteen at this date. He became a painter of second-rate
ability, and afterwards helped Albrecht in the decoration of
the Emperor Maximilian's prayer book]. I should like to
have brought him with me to Venice, which would have been
useful both to me and to him and he would have learned the
language, but she was afraid that the sky would fall on him.
I pray you keep an eye on him: women are no use for that.
Tell the boy, as you can so well, to be studious and
independent till I come, and not to rely on his mother, for
I cannot do everything although I shall do my best. If it
were only for myself, I should not starve; but to provide
for so many is too hard for me, and nobody is throwing money
away.
Now I commend myself to you, and tell my mother to be ready
to sell at the Crown Fair. I am expecting my wife to come
home, and have written to her too about everything. I shall
not purchase the diamond ornament until you write. I do not
think I shall be able to return home before next Autumn.
What I earn for the picture which was to have been ready by
Whitsuntide will all be gone in living expenses and
payments. But what I gain afterwards I hope to save. If you
think it right, say nothing of this and I shall keep putting
it off from day to day and writing as though I was just
coming. Indeed I am quite irresolute; I do not know myself
what I shall do.
Write to me again soon.
Given on Thursday before Palm Sunday in the year 1506.
--Albrecht Dürer
[p.s.] Your servant