His drawings (as catalogued by Lippmann) include the following: (1) _In
the Kunsthalle, Bremen_. Three sketches for pendent whistles, where the
sound-producing part is formed of a ball with a hole in it, into which
the air is carried by a pipe. In two cases the ball is held in the mouth
of a lion, and in the third in the beak of a cock. The animals stand
each on a curved pipe, and have a ring above for suspension (L. 124).
(2) _In the British Museum_. Two sketches for ring-shaped
pendants--apparently whistles (Pl. XXVI, 1). In both cases is air blown
from a mouthpiece half-way round the ring into a ball held in an
animal's mouth (L. 252). (3) _In the possession of Herr von Feder,
Karlsruhe_. Four designs for brooches and clasps, richly ornamented (L.
433-435, and 437). Two of these sketches (L. 433 and 437) and several
others (the whereabouts of the originals of which is not known) were
etched by Wenzel Hollar in the seventeenth century, and are enumerated
in Parthey's catalogue of Hollar's works. The etchings after the two
known originals are numbered 2565 and 2561. The other jewels etched by
Hollar from Dürer's designs are the following: (1) A pendant in the
form of St. George and the Dragon within a laurel wreath, with a ring
above and below (P. 165). (2) A girdle-end formed of two dolphins with a
chain attached (P. 2559). (3) A buckle and buckle-plate--the buckle
formed of two dolphins, the plate ornamented with two cornucopiæ (P.
2560). (4) A round scent-case or pomander (P. 2567). In addition are
miscellaneous designs for ornaments, erroneously considered to
be patterns for embroidery (P. 2562-3-4 and 2566). A charming
representation of a pendent jewel is seen in Dürer's woodcut of the
Emperor Maximilian's Triumphal Arch suspended from the Imperial Crown
held by the figure of Genius.
[Illustration: _PLATE XXVI_ DESIGNS FOR JEWELLERY BY DÜRER AND HOLBEIN]
Following Dürer there appeared a number of goldsmiths who, with the
spread of the new style over Europe, were prepared to perform the task
of remodelling personal ornaments in accordance with the taste of the
day. The most ingenious of them, together with some artists of
distinction, engraved with great fertility of imagination, for those who
were not capable of design, patterns for goldsmith's work and jewellery.
A large demand was made on the productive faculties of these engravers,
who included among their ranks not only the best artists, termed from
the usual small size of their productions "the little masters," but
many other designers of goldsmith's ornament; and from their works,
multiplied by means of engraving, the numerous craftsmen who worked in
gold, enamel, and precious stones, drew their subjects and ideas.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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