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Research the "Locality" of Dürer's Self-Portrait with German Material to
Explore the "Internationality" of Nantou Earth Pigments Creation

Possible
Hung, Hao-Lun

Abstract
self-identity, with all their creations rooted in the land.
In his 1500 "Self-Portrait," the German Renaissance master Dürer deliberately
emulated the ancient Greek master Apelles's tradition of using only a four-color
palette. This move not only paid homage to classical ideals, but also held deeper

significance in his practice of "material culture." According to scholar Ulinka
Rublack, Dürer primarily used four colors from natural media native to Germany, the
soil of his homeland. Combining international humanist ideals with local identity, he

imbued his works with an essence and power rooted in the land, reflecting the
contemporary interest in natural philosophy, a creative philosophy that has inspired
generations to come.
Since 2013, author Hong Haolun has drawn inspiration from this, incorporating
Nantou's soils into his paintings: the black shale of Zhuoshui Creek, the red gravel of

Bagua Terrace, the dark green of Wuxi clay slate, the brown sandstone of Jiujiu Peak,
the earthy yellow sandstone of Hushan Zhongxing New Village, the carbon black of
willow branches, and the white of eggshells, among others, a continuation of this

spirit. This not only emphasizes local media but also reflects on the artist's profound
connection to the land through the medium itself, sparking a dialogue about identity,
creative philosophy, and the legacy of art history.Using Nantou soil in painting holds
three significant implications:
1. Local historical inspiration: Ancient artists such as Apelles, Leonardo da Vinci, Van

Dyck, Rembrandt, and Velázquez, who used local, earth-toned pigments, inherited
this tradition of using local materials. This is the beginning of their sense of home and

2. Limitation is freedom: A limited palette compels artists to focus more on form, light
and shadow, and the relationship between sketching, or to pursue artistic purity. This
spirit has influenced countless painters from Caravaggio to Courbet. Using limited
materials to embody the spirit of infinity.
3. The dialectic of the local and the international: This initiative demonstrates that

even the most "local" media can express the most "international" artistic ideals. It
opens up crucial artistic reflection on how localism and internationalism can be
combined. Through the support of local media, artistic creation can find its place

between local culture and broader history.
Key words: Nantou Colors, Pigments, Locality, Internationality, Tetrachromatic

Greek Palette, Taiwan Primary Colors

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