Dear Kathleen,

You are right in your appreciation of greatness. But not only were such artists as Leonardo and Durer great painters, sculptors, and so on, but they were great human beings too. Not only did they enjoy immense capabilities as artists but they also shared their art even to the extent of sacrificing themselves for their love of people.

Also, you need to participate of greatness yourself to recognize greatness in others. And maybe you cannot draw a perfect circle but you certainly are a great person.

Here is a beautiful portrait of a young Venetian woman by Durer which I failed to include in this thread in my hurry to release it. It was unfinished and may not be as beautiful as the Madonna on the Feast of the Rose Garland, but the beauty of the lady in the portrait has a mysterious touch that I always found fascinating. Please accept it as a token of my appreciation for you.

Best Wishes,

Luis Miguel Goitizolo

Dear Jenny,

As always, you leave me speechless with your kind and heartfelt words. Your posts and messages are among the things I will treasure forever. 

Unlike you, I came to appreciate Durer rather late in my life. The books and pictures that had come to my hands during my childhood and youth were poorly illuminated and made little impact on me; however, I found his graphic work interesting and most powerful. Then, after many years of such distant relationship with him and his works, I bought a book with his complete works - and immediately fell in love with Pond in the Woods and several other of his watercolors, as well as his self-portraits and other paintings which I didn't even remember they existed by that time. And since I had previously become acquainted with the fact that most of the great artists and humanists of the European Renaissance were members of different Masonic and Rosicrucian loggias, I then set to the task of deepening into the meaning of some of his engravings, notably his Melencolia which, if you methodically fix your attention on it, offers a great variety of esoteric symbols (like Jacob’s ladder, the scale, the hourglass, the magic square, the compass, a mason tools, etcetera).

All this, to me, added new and great interest to Durero's (as well as Michelangelo's and Leonardo's) life and work. Your selecting Durero's Melencolia as a favorite I find  most interesting too.

Best Wishes,

Luis Miguel Goitizolo
 

Hi Roger,

Thank you for visiting and your kind words.

About Durer's hare, I just read the following in an art book: "The famous watercolour, made with utmost care, not only captures the animal's appearance and character in a convincing way, but also brings to light the set of sensations experienced in observing a hare."

I was stunned too when I first saw it.

Thank you again,

Luis Miguel Goitizolo

   

Dear Judy,

I am so happy that you have visited this forum again. Your enjoying your visit is most rewarding for me. Thank you very much for your good wishes.

Best Regards,

Luis Miguel Goitizolo

 

Hi Luis,

Only technical problems stopped me from posting a long message before.

What I must say is thank you.

A great forum AND I learnt so much about Durer.

I have a Durer print but never realised how wonderful his watercolurs were.

That hare, wow.

Thanks again Luis.

Roger