A Book for a Rainy Day; or, Recollections of the Events of the Years 1766-1833Smith, John Thomas
History
A Book for a Rainy Day; or, Recollections of the Events of the Years 1766-1833
Smith, John Thomas
Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 18th century; Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
“At the old castle we all descended from our waggons, and saw
the old building, which is so very interesting in the history
of Germany. Then we went down to the house of Albert Dürer,
where all the strangers who arrived entered their names in a
book. Several gentlemen of consideration had offered to give
lodging to some of the strange artists, which was accepted with
great pleasure by them. Many others of them had free lodging
in the inns. The magistrates paid all their necessaries during
their stay. Every day artists and strangers arrived, and the
house of Albert Dürer was the place of meeting. The Cornelians
began to paint their transparencies: they had drawn the
sketches for them already in Munich. There were seven pictures;
they represented, firstly, Albert Dürer coming in receiving
instructions from Wohlgemuth; secondly, his marriage ceremony;
thirdly, the Banquet in Utrecht; fourthly, the Goddess of Art
crowns Albert Dürer and Raphael; fifthly, Dürer on board ship;
sixthly, the death of Dürer’s mother; seventhly, Dürer’s death.
We artists in Nuremberg painted Dürer’s figure, and several
allegories and writings, about sixty feet high altogether,
also transparencies, which we intended to exhibit on the road,
opposite his house.
“Cornelius and many of the first artists from Munich, and from
other parts of Germany, arrived, and Dürer’s house was always
crowded: certainly a very interesting time to make acquaintance
with artists from several parts of the continent, and also to
see again old friends. The 6th of April, in the morning at six
o’clock, we went altogether to the grave of Albert Dürer. It
was very bad weather, all the night, much snow was falling, and
a very disagreeable wind blew. When we arrived at the grave,
and the musicians, who were with us, began to play, and we
began to sing, the sun at once appeared and looked friendly
down upon us. We sang three songs with accompaniments of
instruments; and then a speech was made, after which we went
home. Scarcely were we arrived there, when it again began to
snow, and it was very disagreeable all the day.
“After noon, at half past six o’clock, an Oratorium composed
by Schneider,[417] took place in the Town-house. Mr. Schneider
came himself from Dessau, two hundred and fifty miles from
Nuremberg, to direct it. In the Town-house may still be seen
a triumphal procession, painted on the wall by Albert Dürer.
On one side the musicians were placed, and opposite to them
the seven transparencies were exhibited; they were beautifully
finished and pleased everybody.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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