Master Collection activity 3: Dürer’s Melancholy and Holy Family with a Dragonfly

Pupils explore the work of Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer, printmaking techniques and symbolism in art through looking in detail at:

• Melancholy one of his most famous works, and
• Holy Family with a Dragonfly, also in the Folkestone Museum Master Collection.

Learning objectives
Increased knowledge and understanding of the work of Albrecht Dürer, printmaking techniques and symbolism in art.

Curriculum links

KS1-4 Art (printmaking, symbolism in art, discussing the meaning of art)
KS1-4 History (Renaissance art)

Pupils investigate Albrecht Dürer’s Melancholia in close-up detail. They discuss what they can see in the picture and what they think it means. Ask the children the following questions:

• Why does the winged figure look sad?
  
• What is the meaning of the picture?

Ask pupils to find details such as…

• Keys
• Purse
• Shoe
• Feathers
• Plank with drill holes
• Hammer
• Rainbow
• Dog’s paw
• House
• Tree
• Number 3
• Initials ‘AD’ (Albrecht Dürer)
• Why do you think the artist has included all these items in the picture?
  
• Is there a meaning behind them? (this is called symbolism)

Click here for more information about this print, to view other works by Albrecht Dürer and to see how engravings are made.
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/336228

Emotions

Pupils next investigate Dürer’s Holy Family with a dragonfly (Learn with Objects Master Collection 10: Mother and Child).

Compare the faces of Mary in Holy Family with a dragonfly  and Melancholy.

• Is Mary happy or sad? How has Dürer shown this?
• What might Mary be thinking?
• What might Melancholy be thinking?

Inside, outside

Ask pupils to compare Dürer’s Melancholy (about creative genius) with his print of Saint Jerome in his Study (about intellectual scholarship).

https://images.metmuseum.org/CRDImages/dp/original/DP820349.jpg

• Is there anything the same in the two prints? (hourglass)

Can you find…

• Scissors
• Slippers
• Candlestick
• Pumpkin
• Initials ‘AD’ (Albrecht Dürer)

Creative writing
Ask children to create a piece of writing or a poem based around the following questions:

• What is Melancholy thinking about?
• What is the winged cherub thinking?
• What is Saint Jerome writing?
• What is the dog dreaming about?
• What is the lion thinking?

Incise and print an engraving
Show children the websites below on how to engrave. Ask children to create their own version of one of the prints.

See how engravings are made:
There are numerous videos and images on the web of how to incise and print an engraving. Clark Art Institute video looking at how Dürer’s Melancholy was made, Inside Albrecht’s Studio:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf4sH8iCOPw

Step-by-step with photographs and some animation:
https://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-met/curatorial-departments/drawings-and-prints/materials-and-techniques/printmaking/engraving

Learn with Objects links
Use Learn with Objects Master Collection 3: Dürer’s Melancholy and 10: Mother and Child.