Coat of Arms of Albrecht Dürer

Description

Coat of Arms of Albrecht Dürer is a 1523 woodcut that expresses the artist’s identity through heraldry. The arms include an open door above three small hills, a family emblem also known from his father’s arms. The subject gives personal history a formal visual language, turning a name and lineage into an image.

The heraldic arrangement invites attention to emblem, ornament and the relationship between its parts. Woodcut line gives the design a firm graphic presence suited to a symbol meant to be recognized. Coat of Arms of Albrecht Dürer offers a different view of the artist from his portraits and religious scenes: here, identity is conveyed through inherited signs. The work connects his artistic practice with the representation of family and personal standing.