Durer 'Wulsthaube' Revisited

[hsifeng]

 

Clicking on the image will take you to the original bildindex entry.

Per Babelfish, the upper caption reads:

+1,200,199 Berlin, copper pass cabinet, Albrecht Dürer, still life, feather/spring design? (Aufn. 1900-40)

The lower caption reads:

obj 00030727 Dürer, Albrecht, still life with apron, desk and Tintenfaβ, 1512/1514, sketch, Berlin, national museums to Berlin - Preuβi cultural possession, copper pass cabinet - collection of the Zeichnunger and printing graphics

NOTES: OK, I know that the caption says 'apron', but given the scale of the objects involved (and my own stubborn will, I am sure) I am having a hard time believing that this is an apron. During this period, aprons weren't tiny little affairs worn by French maids. 

Thoughts?

Also, during the 1512/1514 period Albrecht was living in Nürnberg producing art for Maximiian I. This was between his trips to Italy and to Antwerp and therefore means that this image is most likely German in origin.

Comments

[docryder.livejournal.com]

I believe a "Tintenfass" is an inkwell. And yes, the scale would suggest to me a smaller garment than a full apron. The desk looks to be a writing desk of the small sort. The seams I can see also imply that the garment is shaped for something like a head. So, head apparel it is!

[hsifeng.livejournal.com]

I have the same conclusions for the same reasons. No idea if it is actually a Wulsthaube or only a men's sleeping cap (entirely possible - although Albrecht's wife was living with him at this point so there is no reason it couldn't be one of her caps). *shrug*

[kass-rants.livejournal.com]

Yeah, if anything, it looks like a simple man's coif.

[hsifeng.livejournal.com]

At some point I want to puzzel out that seam placement - a little odd to me for some reason.

[sstormwatch.livejournal.com]

I don't know a thing about German... but as a calligrapher myself, I was wondering if this was an "apron" in a protect the artist's clothing from ink while sitting sort of thing. Not that I wear one, but I have read of people who do wear something to protect their clothing, and it wouldn't have to be as large as a regular apron to do it effectively.

Just a thought...

[hsifeng.livejournal.com]

It is totally possible (like I said, I may just be stubborn here): But I don't get the shape at all. Aprons in this period aren't shaped this way (not even workman's aprons in the prints I have seen in the various 'trades' books). Given the manner in which the two different captions are formatted, and who knows when someone decided what the title of this piece was or why, I can’t be totally convinced that the title alone is accurate.

It seems just a likely that the person who was trying to come up with a title for this piece decided that he was looking at an apron on the etching desk because it seemed logical.

I can’t truly say that this is a Wulsthaube, or even a hat, but I am even less convinced that it is an apron based on the clothing shapes I have seen.

[kass-rants.livejournal.com]

I have to admit that I've always had a lot of doubt that this was a Wulsthaube. I thought it looked more like a pouch. I agree with Kimiko that it's likely an apron for a scribe.

[hsifeng.livejournal.com]

Do you happen to know of any images of scribes at work at their desks so we can check out what sort of aprons they are wearing?

I am not totally sold on the 'Wulsthaube', but I am also not sold on the apron.

[kass-rants.livejournal.com]

I'm not entirely sold on the apron idea either. As you said, many pictures are named long after they were made and the namer may have had no idea what was in the picture. But it does make more sense that it is something to do with writing since the other items are a desk, and inkwell, and it looks like a tin of pounce there too.

I don't have any pictures of scribes that I can think of, but I can look for you. Again, the caveat applies that I'm a bit elbow's deep in something else right now. But I'll be looking at German woodcuts for the Guides soon, so I will try to remember. Do remind me if I get too quiet.

[hsifeng.livejournal.com]

*grin*

You know I will!

When I get a chance I will try to dig out my copy of the 'book of trades' to see if I can get any ideas there...

[bippimalin.livejournal.com]

I would guess that "copper pass cabinet" aka kupferstichkabinett means something like copper engraving cabinet. Kopparstick in swedish is an engraving made on copper plate and then transfered in the printing to paper.

[hsifeng.livejournal.com]

That has always been my impression of this term. I think it basically indicated engraving.