Page 290 - Art In The Age Of Exploration (Great Section on Chinese Art Ming Dynasty)

Nuremberg, which was a major cosmopolitan 193 From 1441, the year of the first Portuguese
trade center. slave raid, to 1505 between 140,000 and 170,000
During his first visit to Italy, Durer drew two Albrecht Diirer African slaves were brought to Europe (Kaplan
orientals in Ottoman costume who are followed Nuremberg, 1471-1528 1985,105). Blacks are first mentioned in Antwerp
by a black servant (cat. no), but he did not sketch PORTRAIT OF KATHERINA documents in the early sixteenth century; they
these from life, probably copying a drawing, now were mostly seamen and servants owned by their
lost, by Gentile Bellini preparatory to his Proces- 1521 masters, sold and even given away by them.
sion in Saint Mark's Square. Later, in his altar- silverpoint on prepared paper Some, however, were baptized and then freed
2
7
5
piece, the Adoration of the Magi of 1504 in the 20 x 14 (j /8 x /2J amid great pomp (Goris 1925, 31-32).
Uffizi, Durer included a black Magus holding a references: Goris 1925, 31-32; Goris and Marlier Durer's drawing captures Katherina's features
gold cup. By 1500 it was quite traditional to show 1971, 185, no. 66, fig. 66; Nuremberg 1971, 294, with precision. Diirer noted, as he often did, both
one of the three wise men as black. But in that no. 543; Strauss 1974, 4:2012-2013, no. 1521/8; the name and age of his sitter, leaving us with
1985, 105
Kaplan
work as in the present drawing, Diirer goes a thoughtful and sensitive portrait of the young
beyond cultural and artistic stereotypes and shows Gabinetto Disegni e Stampe degli Uffizi, Florence woman, whose hair has been confined within
himself sensitive to the personality as well as the a European headdress (see also the portrait of
exotic potential of his sitter. j. M. M. During his visit to the Netherlands Diirer drew Paulus Topler: Strauss 1974, 4:1940-1941,
Katherina, the Moorish servant of the Portuguese no. 1520/19). J.M.M.
factor Joao Brandao. Between 16 March and
5 April 1521, not long before he returned to
Nuremberg, the artist wrote in his diary: "I have
drawn the portrait in charcoal of Faktor Brandao's
Secretary. I drew a portrait of his Negress with
metalpoint." He inscribed that drawing Katherina
alt 20 Jahr and dated it 1521.

EUROPE AND THE MEDITERRANEAN WORLD 289