Thursday
Mar092006
Possible Dürer/Seuss connection?
Thursday, March 9, 2006 at 07:24AM Inquiring minds want to know.
Throughout his life, Dürer was interested in oddities of nature. The walrus has pushed the front half of his body into the picture and is looking at the observer with his peculiarly glassy gaze; this has led to the suggestion that Dürer created the study from a chopped off walrus head or stuffed animal, and completed the rest from his imagination. The study was to be used as a detail in the altar painting of an enthroned Madonna and Child surrounded by eight saints and angels playing instruments, but this work was never produced. At the top left Dürer wrote: "Das dozig thyr van dem ich do das hawbt conterfett hab, ist gefange worden in der niderlendischen see und was XII ellen brawendisch mit für füssen" (The animal which I have drawn this picture of was captured in the Dutch Sea and was twelve cubits in size with four feet). Web Gallery of Art(If Dürer himself says the animal had 4 feet, I wonder why an art critic thinks he was working from just the head. He seemed to know a lot about the specimen.)
This is for MissM's young sons. The Walrus reminds me of a Dr. Seuss drawing. I wonder if Theodor Geissel was inspired by Dürer:
Reader Comments (6)
Okay. Up to now, you had me. But that walrus one is sort of ....creepy? I admit it does look somewhat Seus-ish, but Seus could have come up with some of his critters from any walrus specimen or photo, couldn't he?
And so my firm answer is, I don't know.
I agree that it is creepy, not sort of--very! Unless, of course, you think of Dr. Seuss and then the eyelashes don't look quite as weird. There are a few others that I think are pretty creepy, too, but hey, a guy can't hit a home run every time, can he?
"And so my firm answer is, I don't know."
Carol, not many people actually make me laugh out loud in front of my computer, but you seem to be able to get me to do it regularly! :)
Great connection! I love it!
Well, now either you copied-and-pasted the ü, or else you learned without needing my instruction!
:)
I copied and pasted from your post!
There's more than one way to skin a cat!
(George and Buster, I hope you aren't reading. . .(
That is a little creepy, and intriguing. I'm thinking The Tooth Book meets There's a Wocket in My Pocket. LOL