. And he had painted his own image in everlasting colors, desiring the hand down an "undying image to posterity" (Strieder 14). Ironically, the self-portrait did more than preserve his image; it helped foster the popular characterization of Durer as a Christ-like master, aloof and awe-inspiring. Albrecht Durer believed that his artistic mission reflected that of Christ. He felt the artist's creative spirit was God-given, (Russell 89) and saw the ability to create as being innate, "a gift and labor linking man to God" (Gowing 56). Art comes from God, he says. God created all forms of art and "the attainment of true, artistic, and lovely execution in painting is hard to come unto Whoseoever, therefore, falleth short cannot attain a right understanding for it cometh alone by inspiration from above" (Strieder 14).Durer was deeply religious, troubled by rebellions and abuses he witnessed within the church. Traditional values were beginning to show signs of breaking down with great religious and social upheavals (Gowing 56). The artist shared and understood Martin Luther's plea for religious toleration, and for official recognition of the need for reform. There is no doubt that Durer's thought and art were affected by the powerful reforming spirit of the age (Hutchison 164).Albrecht Durer desired to establish a system of principles that would foster the development of a "True Art." He wanted to find out all that he could, to obtain a higher knowledge about everything connected with his art- "how to collect knowledge and pass it on to others" (Streider 12). To further fulfill his spiritual role, Durer pledged to write one last instructional book entitled Food for Young Painters in which he would hand down all his knowledge and experience as his legacy to those "able young men who love art more than silver and gold" (Russell 161). His advice for the young painter was "that he be kept from women and that he guard himself from all im...
