This may be the greatest links page ever: Larsdatter has the Medieval Beards page.
My (ironic) favorite is Dürer's Self-Portrait in a Fur-Collared Robe. In that image, Dürer depicts himself as a sort of Christ figure -- thereby being one of a small handful of people I'd punch in the face if I had a time machine. Maybe he was so interested in the Protestant Reformation because he thought Martin Luther might start worshipping him.
Just look at him -- the dude clearly thinks he's the shizznit.* What a douchebag.
*You have now read the first occurance of "shizznit" in my writings. Make a note of it.
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And please never use it again!
ReplyDeleteDoesn't this one:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/durer/self/self-26.jpg
make you feel even more like punching him?
Unless you go for arrogant men, and then you might want to throw yourself at his feet!
One must admit that he had some basis for his gigantic self-image.
Steve,
ReplyDeleteYou wrote: "One must admit that he had some basis for his gigantic self-image."
Well, as they're SELF portraits, we can't be sure of that. Maybe that's just how he saw himself.
I do admit, both portraits make me feel pugilistic.
I was thinking of that part of his self-image based on his astounding artistic talent, not his looks.
ReplyDeleteDurer was teased by his contemporaries for being something of a dandy. But...that self-portrait was groundbreaking in the history of portraiture -- he abandoned the usual "perfect" proportions usually given to portraits of Christ. And I believe there's quite a bit of precedent for that kind of self-depiction as Christlike.
ReplyDeleteHowever, while it certainly could be viewed as an acknowledgment of the miracle of the incarnation, I think he definitely was showing some shizznittery. (And if he was hankering for some Luther adoration, he was setting himself up for some seriously unrequited love!)