Duerer's Tour in the Netherlands.--His Journal.--Cologne.--Feasts at
Antwerp and Brussels.--Procession of Notre Dame.--The _Confirmatia_.
--Zealand Journey.--Ghent.--Martin Luther.
Duerer's famous tour to the Netherlands began in the summer of 1520,
and continued until late in 1521. His main object appears to have been
to secure from Charles V. a confirmation of the pension which the
Emperor Maximilian had granted him, since the Rath of Nuremberg had
refused to deliver any further sums until he could obtain such a
ratification. Possibly he also hoped to obtain the position of
court-painter, to which Titian was afterwards appointed. Several
biographers say that Duerer made the journey in order to get a respite
from his wife's tirades; but this is unlikely, since he took her and
her maid Susanna with him. The Archduchess Margaret, daughter of the
late Emperor Maximilian and aunt of Charles V., was at Brussels,
acting as Regent of the Netherlands; and Duerer made strong but
ineffectual attempts to secure her good graces.
Duerer's journal of his tour is a combination of cash account,
itinerary, memoranda, and notebook, and would fill about fifty of
these pages. It is usually barren of reflections, opinions, or
prolonged descriptions; and is but a terse and business-like record of
facts and expenses, rich only in its revelations of mediaeval Flemish
hospitality and municipal customs, and certain personal habits of the
writer. The greatest impression seems to have been made upon the
traveller by the enormous wealth of the Low Countries, and the
adjective "costly" continually recurs. The new-found treasures of
America were then pouring a stream of gold into the Flemish cities,
and manufactures and commerce were in full prosperity. The devastating
storm of Alva's Spanish infantry had not yet swept over the doomed but
heroic Netherlands; and her great cities basked in peace, prosperity,
and wealth.
"On the Thursday after Whitsuntide, I, Albert Duerer, at my own cost
and responsibility, set out with my wife from Nuremberg for the
Netherlands.... I went on to Bamberg, where I gave the Bishop a
picture of the Virgin, 'The Life of the Virgin,' an Apocalypse,
and other engravings of the value of a florin. He invited me to
dinner, and gave me an exemption from customs, and three letters of
recommendation." He hired a carriage to take him to Frankfort for
eight florins of gold, and received a parting stirrup-cup from Meister
Benedict, and the painter Hans Wolfgang Katzheimer. He gives the names
of the forty-three villages through which he passed along the route by
Wuerzburg and Carlstadt to Frankfort, with his expenditures for food
and for gifts to servants; and tells how the Bishop's letter freed him
from paying tolls. At Frankfort he was cheaply entertained by Jacob
Heller, for whom he had painted "The Coronation of the Virgin." From
thence he descended by boat to Mayence, where he received many gifts
and attentions. In the river-passages hence to Cologne, he was forced
to haul in shore and arrange his tolls at Ehrenfels, Bacharach, Caub,
St. Goar, and Boppart. At Cologne he was entertained by his cousin
Nicholas Duerer, who had learned the goldsmith's trade in the shop of
Albert's father, and was now settled in business. The master made
presents to him and his wife. The Barefooted Monks gave Duerer a feast
at their monastery; and Jerome Fugger presented him with wine. The
journey was soon resumed; and the master passed through fourteen
villages, and at last reached Antwerp, where he was feasted by the
factor of the illustrious Fugger family. Jobst Planckfelt was Duerer's
host while he remained in the city, and showed him the Burgomaster's
Palace and other sights of Antwerp, besides introducing him to Quentin
Matsys and other eminent Flemish artists.
"On St. Oswald's Day, the painters invited me to their hall, with my
wife and maid; and every thing there was of silver and other costly
ornamentation, and extremely costly viands. There were also all their
wives there; and when I was conducted to the table all the people
stood up on each side, as if I had been a great lord. There were
amongst them also many persons of distinction, who all bowed low,
and in the most humble manner testified their pleasure at seeing me,
and they said they would do all in their power to give me pleasure.
And, as I sat at table, there came in the messenger of the Rath of
Antwerp, who presented me with four tankards of wine in the name of
the Magistrates; and he said that they desired to honor me with this,
and that I should have their good-will.... And for a long time we were
very merry together until quite late in the night; then they
accompanied us home with torches in the most honorable manner, and
they begged us to accept their good-will, and said they would do
whatever I desired that might be of assistance to me. Then I thanked
them, and went to bed."
He next speaks of making portraits of his friend the Portuguese
consul, his host Planckfelt, and the musician Felix Hungersberg;
and keeps account of his sales of paintings and engravings, on the
same pages which record his junketings with various notable men. He
dined with one of the Imhoffs and with Meister Joachim Patenir, the
landscape-painter, with whom he had certain professional transactions.
He soon became intimately acquainted with the three Genoese brothers,
Tomasin, Vincent, and Gerhartus Florianus, with whom he dined many
times, and for whom he drew several portraits. He also met the great
scholar and half-way reformer, Erasmus, who gave him several pleasing
presents.
"Our Lady's Church at Antwerp is so immensely big, that many masses
may be sung in it at one time without interfering with each other; and
it has altars and rich foundations, and the best musicians that it is
possible to have. The church has many devout services, and stone work,
and particularly a beautiful tower. And I have also been to the rich
Abbey of St. Michael, which has the costly stone seat in its choir.
And at Antwerp they spare no cost about such things, for there is
money enough there."
He made portraits of Nicholas Kratzer, then professor of astronomy at
Oxford University; Hans Plaffroth; and Tomasin's daughter; and gave
several score of his engravings to the Portuguese consul and to his
compatriot Ruderigo, who had sent a large quantity of sweetmeats to
the artist, and a green parrot to his wife.
Something of diplomatic tact is shown in Duerer's making presents to
Meister Gillgen, the Emperor's door-keeper, and to Meister Conrad, the
sculptor of the Archduchess Margaret. He seems to have been preparing
to seek an invitation to court.
In September Duerer and Tomasin journeyed to Mechlin, where they
invited Meister Conrad and one of his artist-friends to a supper. The
next day they passed through Vilvorde, and came to Brussels. Here the
master was introduced to a new and splendid society and a city rich
in works of art. He speaks of dining with "My Lord of Brussels," the
Imperial Councillor Bannisius, and the ambassadors of Nuremberg; and
Bernard van Orley, formerly a pupil of Raphael and now court-painter
to the Regent Margaret, invited him to a feast at which he met the
Regent's treasurer, the royal court-master, and the town-treasurer of
Brussels. He also visited the Margrave of Anspach and Baireuth, with a
letter of introduction from the Bishop of Bamberg; and drew portraits
of Meister Conrad, Bernard van Orley, and several others. The Regent
Margaret received him "with especial kindness," and promised to use
her influence for his advancement at the imperial court. He presented
copies of the Passion to her and her treasurer, and many other
engravings to other eminent persons in the city.
"And I have seen King Charles's house at Brussels, with its fountains,
labyrinth, and park. It gave me the greatest pleasure; and a more
delightful thing, and more like a Paradise, I have never before
seen.... At Brussels there is a very big and costly Town-hall, built
of hewn stone, with a splendid transparent tower. I have seen in the
Golden Hall the four painted matters which the great Meister Rudier
[Roger van der Weyden] has done.... I have also been into the
Nassau-house, which is built in such a costly style and so beautifully
ornamented. And I saw the two beautiful large rooms and all the costly
things in the house everywhere, and also the great bed in which fifty
men might lie; and I have also seen the big stone which fell in a
thunderstorm in the field close to the Count of Nassau. This house is
very high, and there is a fine view from it, and it is much to be
admired; and I do not think in all Germany there is any thing like
it.... Also I have seen the thing which has been brought to the King
from the new Golden Land [Mexico], a sun of gold a fathom broad, and a
silver moon just as big. Likewise two rooms full of armor; likewise
all kinds of arms, harness, and wonderful missiles, very strange
clothing, bed-gear and all kinds of the most wonderful things for
man's use, that are as beautiful to behold as they are wonderful.
These things are all so costly, that they have been valued at 100,000
gulden. And I have never in all the days of my life seen any thing
that has so much rejoiced my heart as these things. For I have seen
among them wonderfully artistic things, and I have wondered at the
subtle _Ingenia_ of men in foreign lands."
While at Brussels Duerer was the guest of Conrad the sculptor, and
Ebner the Nuremberg ambassador. He returned at length to Antwerp,
where his Portuguese friends sent him several maiolica bowls and some
Calcutta feathers, and his host gave also certain Indian and Turkish
curiosities. The jovial dinners with Planckfelt and Tomasin were again
begun, and were supplemented by feasts with the Von Rogendorffs and
Fugger's agent. The master gave away hundreds of his engravings here,
either to his friends or to influential courtiers; and all these
details he faithfully records. He seems to have been an indefatigable
investigator and collector of curiosities, imported trinkets, and
china. With childlike delight he narrates the brilliant spectacles
around him.
"I have seen, on the Sunday after the Assumption of Our Blessed Lady,
the great procession from Our Lady's Church at Antwerp, when the whole
town was assembled, artisans and people of rank, every one dressed in
the most costly manner according to its station. Every class and every
guild had its badge by which it might be recognized; large and costly
tapers were also borne by some of them. There were also long silver
trumpets of the old Frankish fashion. There were also many German
pipers and drummers, who piped and drummed their loudest. Also
I saw in the street, marching in a line in regular order, with
certain distances between, the goldsmiths, painters, stonemasons,
embroiderers, sculptors, joiners, carpenters, sailors, fishmongers,
... and all kinds of artisans who are useful in producing the
necessaries of life. In the same way there were the shopkeepers and
merchants and their clerks. After these came the marksmen with
firelocks, bows, and cross-bows, some on horseback and some on foot.
After that came the City Guards; and at last a mighty and beautiful
throng of different nations and religious orders, superbly costumed,
and each distinguished from the other, very piously. I remarked in
this procession a troop of widows who lived by their labor. They all
had white linen cloths covering their heads, and reaching down to
their feet, very seemly to behold. Behind them I saw many brave
persons, and the canons of Our Lady's Church, with all the clergy
and bursars, where twenty persons bore Our Lady with the Lord Jesus
ornamented in the most costly manner to the glory of the Lord God. In
this procession there were many very pleasant things, and it was very
richly arranged. There were brought along many wagons, with moving
ships, and other things. Then followed the Prophets, all in order; the
New Testament, showing the Salutation of the Angel, the three Holy
Kings on their camels, and other rare wonders very beautifully
arranged.... At the last came a great dragon led by St. Margaret and
her maidens, who were very pretty; also St. George, with his squire, a
very handsome Courlander. Also a great many boys and girls, dressed in
the most costly and ornamental manner, according to the fashion of
different countries, rode in this troop, and represented so many
saints. This procession from beginning to end was more than two hours
passing by our house; and there were so many things that I could never
write them all down even in a book, and so I leave it alone."
Raphael died during this year, and Duerer made strenuous efforts to
secure some of his drawings or other remains. He met Tommaso Vincidore
of Bologna, a pupil of the great master, and gave him an entire set of
his best engravings for an antique gold ring, and another set to be
sent to Rome in exchange for some of Raphael's sketches. He also gave
a complete set of his engravings to the Regent Margaret, and made for
her two careful drawings on parchment. Vincidore painted his portrait,
to be sent to Rome; and it was engraved by Adrian Stock, showing his
glorious eyes and long flowing hair, together with a short dense beard
overshadowed by a massive moustache, curled back at the points.
Later in the autumn Duerer journeyed to Aix-la-Chapelle, where he
attended the splendid ceremonies of the coronation of the Emperor
Charles V. At Aix he saw the famous columns brought from Rome by
Charlemagne, the arm of Kaiser Henry, the chemise and girdle of the
Virgin Mary, and other relics. His wife was back at Antwerp; and so
the reckless artist chronicles his outlays for drinking, gaming, and
other reprehensible expenses. After being entertained for three weeks
at the Nuremberg embassy, Duerer went to Cologne, where he remained a
fortnight, distributing his engravings with generous hand, visiting
the churches and their pictures, and buying all manner of odd things.
Early in November, by the aid of the Nuremberg ambassadors, he
obtained from the Emperor his _Confirmatia_, "with great trouble and
labor." This coveted document, which formed one of the main objects
of his journey to the North, confirmed him in the pension which
Maximilian had granted him, and made him painter to the Emperor.
From Cologne he returned with all speed down the river to Antwerp,
being entertained at Bois-le-Duc, "a pretty town, which has an
extraordinarily beautiful church," by the painter Arnold de Ber and
the goldsmiths, "who showed me very much honor." On arriving at
Antwerp, he resumes his accounts of the sales and gifts of his
engravings, and the enumeration of his domestic expenses. Soon
afterward he heard of a monstrous whale being thrown up on the
Zealand coast, and posted off in December to see it, taking a vessel
from Bergen-op-Zoom, of whose well-built houses and great markets he
speaks. "We sailed before sunset by a village, and saw only the points
of the roofs projecting out of the water; and we sailed for the island
of Wohlfaertig [Walcheren], and for the little town of Sunge in another
adjacent island. There were seven islands; and Ernig, where I passed
the night, is the largest. From thence we went to Middleburg, where I
saw in the abbey the great picture that Johann de Abus [Mabuse] had
done. The drawing is not so good as the painting. After that we came
to Fahr, where ships from all lands unload: it is a fine town. But at
Armuyden a great danger befell me; for just as we were going to land,
and our ropes were thrown out, there came a large ship alongside of
us, and I was about to land, but there was such a press that I let
every one land before me, so that nobody but I, Georg Kotzler, two old
women, and the skipper with one small boy, were left in the ship. And
when I and the above-named persons were on board, and could not get on
shore, then the heavy cable broke, and a strong wind came on, which
drove our ship powerfully before it. Then we all cried loudly for
help, but no one ventured to give it; and the wind beat us out again
to sea.... Then there was great anxiety and fear; for the wind was
very great, and not more than six persons on board. But I spoke to the
skipper, and told him to take heart, and put his trust in God, and
consider what there was to be done. Then he said he thought, if we
could manage to hoist the little sail, he would try whether we could
not get on. So with great difficulty, and working all together, we got
it half way up, and sailed on again; and when those on the land saw
this, and how we were able to help ourselves, they came and gave us
assistance, so that we got safely to land. Middleburg is a good town,
and has a very beautiful Town-house with a costly tower. And there are
also many things there of old art. There is an exceedingly costly and
beautiful seat in the abbey, and a costly stone aisle, and a pretty
parish church. And in other respects also the town is very rich in
subjects for sketches. Zealand is pretty and marvellous to see, on
account of the water, which is higher than the land."
The tide had carried off the stranded whale; and so Duerer returned
to Antwerp, staying a few days at Bergen. Soon afterwards he gave
Von Rafensburg three books of fine engravings in return for five
snail-shells, nine medals, four arrows, two pieces of white coral,
two dried fish, and a scale of a large fish. Improvident collector
of curiosities! how did the matronly Agnes endure such tradings?
Many dinners with the Genoese Tomasin are then recorded, and fresh
collations with new friends, in the hearty and hospitable spirit of
the easy-living Netherlanders. He repaid the quaint presents of his
admirers with many copies of his engravings, and occasionally made
some money in the practice of his profession.
"On Shrove Tuesday early the goldsmiths invited me and my wife to
dinner. There were many distinguished people assembled, and we had an
extremely costly meal, and they did me exceeding much honor; and in
the evening the senior magistrate of the town invited me, and gave me
a costly meal, and showed me much honor. And there came in many
strange masks." He then records his exchanges of engravings for such
singular returns as satin, candied citron, ivory salt-cellars from
Calcutta, sea-shells, monk's electuary, sweetmeats in profusion,
porcelains, an ivory pipe, coral, boxing-gloves, a shield, lace,
fishes' fins, sandal-wood, &c. The Portuguese ambassador invited him
to a rich Carnival feast, where there were "many very costly masks;"
and the learned Petrus AEgidius entertained him and Erasmus of
Rotterdam together. He climbed up the cathedral tower, and "saw over
the whole town from it, which was very agreeable." Many of the
curiosities which he had acquired were sent as presents to Pirkheimer,
the Imhoffs, the Holzschuhers, and other noble friends in Nuremberg.
Arion, the ex-Pensionary of Antwerp, gave him a feast, and presented
him with Patenir's painting of "Lot and his Daughters."
Soon after Easter, Duerer made another pleasant tour in the
Netherlands, attended by the painter Jan Plos, passing by "the rich
Abbey of Pol," and "the great long village of Kahlb," to "the splendid
and beautiful town" of Bruges. Plos and the goldsmith Marx each gave
him costly feasts, and showed him the Emperor's palace, the Archery
Court, and many paintings by Roger van der Weyden, Hubert and Jan van
Eyck, and Hugo van der Goes, together with an alabaster Madonna by
Michael Angelo. "We came at last to the Painters' Chapel, where there
are many good things. After that they prepared a banquet for me. And
from thence I went with them to their guild, where many honorable
folk, goldsmiths, painters, and merchants, were assembled; and they
made me sup with them, and did me great honor. And the Rath gave me
twelve measures of wine; and the whole assembly, more than sixty
persons, accompanied me home with torches.
"And when I arrived at Ghent, the chief of the painters met me, and
he brought with him all the principal painters of the town; and they
showed me great honor, and received me in very splendid style, and
they assured me of their good-will and service; and I supped that
evening with them. On Wednesday early they took me to St. John's
Tower, from which I saw over all the great and wonderful town.
After that I saw Johann's picture [Van Eyck's 'Adoration of the
Spotless Lamb']. It is a very rich and grandly conceived painting;
and particularly Eve, the Virgin Mary, and God the Father, are
excellent.... Ghent is a beautiful and wonderful town, and four great
waters flow through it. And I have besides seen many other very
strange things at Ghent, and the painters with their chief have never
left me; and I have eaten morning and night with them, and they have
paid for every thing, and have been very friendly with me."
The master soon returned to Antwerp, in distress. "In the third
week after Easter a hot fever attacked me, with great faintness,
discomfort, and headache. And when I was in Zealand, some time back, a
wonderful illness came upon me, which I had never heard of any one
having before; and this illness I have still." This low fever never
quite left him, and was the cause of many doctor's bills thereafter.
Soon afterward he made a portrait of the landscape-painter Joachim
Patenir; and "on the Sunday before Cross-week, Meister Joachim invited
me to his wedding, and they all showed me much respect; and I saw two
very pretty plays there, particularly the first, which was very pious
and clerical."
Duerer seems to have had strong Protestant sympathies, though it is
claimed that he died in the faith of Rome. His journal in 1521
contains the following significant sentences about Martin Luther: "He
was a man enlightened by the Holy Ghost, and a follower of the true
Christian faith.... He has suffered much for Christ's truth, and
because he has rebuked the unchristian Papacy which strives against
the freedom of Christ with its heavy burdens of human laws; and for
this we are robbed of the price of our blood and sweat, that it may be
expended shamefully by idle, lascivious people, whilst thirsty and
sick men perish of hunger.... Lord Jesus Christ, call together again
the sheep of thy fold, of whom part are still to be found amongst the
Indians, Muscovites, Russians, and Greeks, who through the burdens and
avarice of the Papacy have been separated from us. Never were any
people so horribly burdened with ordinances as us poor people by the
Romish See; we who, redeemed by thy blood, ought to be free
Christians.
"O God, is Luther dead? Who will henceforth explain to us so clearly
the holy Gospel? O all pious Christian men, bewail with me this
God-inspired man, and pray to God to send us another enlightened
teacher! O Erasmus of Rotterdam, where dost thou remain? Behold how
the unjust tyranny of this world's might and the powers of darkness
prevail! Hear, thou knight of Christ; ride forth in the name of the
Lord, defend the truth, attain the martyr's crown; thou art already an
old manikin, and I have heard thee say that thou gavest thyself only
two years longer in which thou wilt still be fit for work. Employ
these well, then, in the cause of the Gospel and the true Christian
faith."
More junketings, gamings, collecting of outlandish things, visits to
religious and civic pageants, new sketches and paintings, doctor's
bills and monk's fees, minutely recorded. "Meister Gerhard, the
illuminator, has a daughter of eighteen years, called Susanna; and she
has illuminated a plate, a Saviour, for which I gave a florin. It is a
great wonder that a woman should do so well!... I have again and again
done sketches and many other things in the service of different
persons, and for the most part of my work I have received nothing at
all."
After Corpus Christi Day, Duerer sent off several bales of his
acquisitions to Nuremberg, by the wagoner Cunz Mez. He and his wife
then went to Mechlin; "and the painters and sculptors entertained me
at my inn, and showed me great honor; and I went to Popenreuther's
house, the cannon-founder, and found many wonderful things there. I
have also seen the Lady Margaret [the Archduchess and Regent], and
carried the portrait of the Emperor, which I intended to present to
her; but she took such a displeasure therein, I brought it away with
me again. And on the Friday she showed me all her beautiful things,
and amongst them I saw forty small pictures in oil, pure and good: I
have never seen finer miniatures. And then I saw other good things of
Johann's [Van Eyck] and Jacob Walch's. I begged my Lady to give me
Meister Jacob's little book, but she said she had promised it to her
painter."
Duerer seems to have been treated with scant courtesy by the
Archduchess, and soon returned to Antwerp. Here he was entertained
by the eminent Lucas van Leyden, for whom he made a portrait, and
received one of himself in return. The stately Nuremberger and the
diminutive artist of Leyden were much astonished at each other's
personal appearance, but had a warm mutual respect and esteem. Duerer
next struck up a warm friendship with certain of the Augustine monks,
and dined often at their cloister. In addition to the _bric-a-brac_
which he still continued to collect, he now began to buy precious
stones, in which he was badly swindled by a Frenchman, and dolefully
wrote, "I am a fool at a bargain."
He was now about to return home, and naturally found it necessary,
after having bought such a museum of oddities and curiosities, to
borrow enough money to take him to Nuremberg. His friend Alexander
Imhoff lent him 100 gold florins, receiving Duerer's note in return. In
some bitterness of spirit he wrote: "In all my transactions in the
Netherlands, with people both of high and low degree, and in all my
doings, expenses, sales, and other trafficking, I have always had the
disadvantage; and particularly the Lady Margaret, for all I have given
her and done for her, has given me nothing in return."
On the eve of Duerer's departure, the King of Denmark, Christian II.,
came to Antwerp, and not only had the master draw his portrait, but
also invited him to a dinner. He then went to Brussels, on business
for his new royal patron, and was present at the pompous reception and
banquet with which the Emperor and the Archduchess Margaret received
the Danish King. Soon afterwards the King invited Duerer to the feast
which he gave to the Emperor and Archduchess; and then had his
portrait painted in oil-colors, paying thirty florins for it. After a
sojourn of eight days in Brussels, the master and his wife went south
to Cologne, spending four long days on the road; and soon afterwards
prolonged their journey to Nuremberg.
The municipality of Antwerp had offered him a house and a liberal
pension, to remain in that city; but he declined these, being content
with his prospects and his noble friends in Franconia.