Editing Albrecht Altdorfer (section)

==Painting==
[[File:Albrecht Altdorfer, Christ Taking Leave of His Mother (probably 1520).jpg|thumb|''Christ taking Leave of his Mother'', c. 1520]]
[[File:Albrecht Altdorfer 032.jpg|thumb|Albrecht Altdorfer: Sebastian Altar in St. Florian's Priory, c. 1509–16 Upper Austria]]

Altdorfer was the pioneer painter of pure landscape, making them the subject of the painting, as well as compositions dominated by their landscape; these [[List of landscapes by Albrecht Altdorfer|comprise much of his oeuvre]]. He believed that the human figure should not disrupt nature, but rather participate in it or imitate its natural processes. Taking and developing the landscape style of [[Lucas Cranach the Elder]], he shows the hilly landscape of the [[Danube]] valley with thick forests of drooping and crumbling firs and larches hung with moss, and often dramatic colouring from a rising or setting sun.  His ''Landscape with Footbridge'' ([[National Gallery, London]])<ref>[[:File:Albrecht_Altdorfer_-_Landschaft_mit_einem_Steg.jpg|image]]</ref> of 1518–1520 is claimed to be the first pure landscape in oil. In this painting, Altdorfer places a large tree that is cut off by the margins at the center of the landscape, making it the central axis and focus within the piece. Some viewers perceive [[Anthropomorphize|anthropomorphic]] stylisation—the tree supposedly exhibiting human qualities such as the drapery of its limbs. He also made many fine finished drawings, mostly landscapes, in pen and [[watercolour]] such as the ''Landscape with the Woodcutter'' in 1522.<ref>[[:File:Albrecht_Altdorfer_-_Landscape_with_a_Woodcutter_(Kupferstichkabinett_Berlin).jpg|image]]</ref> The drawing opens at ground level on a clearing surrounding an enormous tree that is placed in the center, dominating the picture. Some see the tree pose and gesticulate as if it was human, splaying its branches out in every corner. Halfway up the tree trunk, hangs a gabled shrine. At the time, a shrine like this might shelter an image of the Crucifixion or the Virgin Mary, but since it is turned away from the viewer, we are not sure what it truly is. At the bottom of the tree, a tiny figure of a seated man, crossed legged, holds a knife and axe, declaring his status in society/occupation.<ref>{{cite book |last=Wood |first=Christopher S. |url=https://archive.org/details/albrechtaltdorfe0000wood |title=Albrecht Altdorfer and the Origins of Landscape |publisher=The University of Chicago Press |year=1993 |isbn=9780226906010 |url-access=registration}}</ref>

Also, he often painted scenes of historical and biblical subjects, set in atmospheric landscapes. His best religious scenes are intense, with their glistening lights and glowing colours sometimes verging on the expressionistic. They often depict moments of intimacy between Christ and his mother, or various saints. His sacral masterpiece and one of the most famous religious works of art of the later [[Middle Ages]] is ''The Legend of [[St. Sebastian]]'' and ''The [[Passion of Christ]]'' of the so-called  ''Sebastian Altar'' in ''[[St. Florian's Priory]]'' (''Stift Sankt Florian'') near [[Linz]], [[Upper Austria]]. When closed   the altarpiece displayed the four panels of the legend of St. Sebastian's Martyrdom, while the opened wings displayed the [[Stations of the Cross]]. Today the altarpiece is dismantled and the [[predella]]s depicting the two final scenes, ''[[Entombment]]'' and ''[[Resurrection of Jesus|Resurrection]]'' were sold to [[Kunsthistorisches Museum]] in [[Vienna]] in 1923 and 1930. Both these paintings share a similar formal structure that consists of an open landscape that is seen beyond and through the opening of a dark grotto.  The date of completion on the resurrection panel is 1518.

Altdorfer often distorts perspective to subtle effect. His donor figures are often painted completely out of scale with the main scene, as in paintings of the previous centuries. He also painted some portraits; overall his painted oeuvre was not large. In his later works, Altdorfer moved more towards mannerism and began to depict the human form to the conformity of the Italian model, as well as dominate the picture with frank colors.