David Freedberg Knihy

"This learned and heavy volume should be placed on the shelves of every art historical library."—E. H. Gombrich, New York Review of Books"This is an engaged and passionate work by a writer with powerful convictions about art, images, aesthetics, the art establishment, and especially the discipline of art history. It is animated by an extraordinary erudition."—Arthur C. Danto, The Art Bulletin"Freedberg's ethnographic and historical range is simply stunning. . . . The Power of Images is an extraordinary critical achievement, exhilarating in its polemic against aesthetic orthodoxy, endlessly fascinating in its details. . . . This is a powerful, disturbing book."—T. J. Jackson Lears, Wilson Quarterly"Freedberg helps us to see that one cannot do justice to the images of art unless one recognizes in them the entire range of human responses, from the lowly impulses prevailing in popular imagery to their refinement in the great visions of the ages."—Rudolf Arnheim, Times Literary Supplement

Focusing on the formative years of Albrecht Dürer, this book explores his significant drawings created between 1490 and 1495, particularly during his travels in Italy. It highlights the Courtauld Gallery's notable double-sided drawing and delves into Dürer's artistic development, examining his figure studies and the evolution of his individual style. Five expert essays provide insights into his motivations, self-portraits, influences from Nuremberg workshops, and the interplay between drawing and printmaking, enhancing the understanding of his early artistic journey.