Albrecht Drer: Artist in the Midst of Two Storms

The artist and entrepreneur Albrecht Durer lived in Germany in the early 1500s when two storms were threatening the Holy Roman Empire. First Suleiman the Magnificent and his army of Ottoman Turks were expanding from Constantinople to Vienna the doorstep of Europe. Second Martin Luther a German monk and professor wrote his Ninety-Five Theses identifying corruption within the Roman Catholic Church. This challenged the authority of both Emperor Charles V and Pope Leo X who responded by accusing Luther of heresy. Albrecht Durer influenced art and media throughout Europe as strongly as Martin Luther influenced peoples views of life death and their relationship with God. Durers art and writing reveal how this creative and thoughtful man responded to the changes offered by Luther. Why was Durer so attracted to Luthers writings? Why would he risk being accused of being a heretic? Both of these men inspired changes in art religion and politics that still underlie the foundation of todays social structures and Western culture. Stacey Bielers beautifully (and intelligently) illustrated study of Albrecht Durer shows convincingly why she is such an important guide to the reformation era. Her text and well-chosen Durer prints and paintings explain with particular clarity why Luther became such an important figure in the artists life. It is a book to broaden historical understanding but also to delight the eye. --Mark Noll McAnaney Professor of History Emeritus at the University Notre Dame Stacey Bieler an independent historian also wrote Patriots or Traitors? A History of American-Educated Chinese Students (2004) and coedited (with Carol Hamrin) the three-volume set about Chinese Christians called Salt and Light (Pickwick 2009-2011).