er and wilder landscapes in his
woodcuts were reminiscences of the pastoral regions of the Franconian
Switzerland.

The personal history of Duerer between 1507 and 1520 was barren of
details, but evidently full of earnest work, as existing pictures bear
witness. It was the golden period of his art-life, abounding in
productiveness. His workshop was the seat of the chief art-school in
Nuremberg, and contained many excellent young painters and engravers,
to whom the master delivered his wise axioms and earnest thoughts in
rich profusion.

During this period, also, he probably executed certain of his best
works in carving, which are hereinafter described. Dr. Thausing
denies that Duerer used the chisel of the sculptor to any extent, and
refuses to accept the genuineness of the carvings which the earlier
biographers have attributed to him. Scott is of the opinion that in
most cases these rich and delicate works were executed by other
persons, either from his drawings or under his inspection.

On his return from Venice, Duerer painted life-sized nude figures of
Adam and Eve, representing them with the fatal apple in their hands,
at the moment of the Fall. They are well designed in outline, but
possess a certain anatomical hardness, lacking in grace and mobility.
They were greatly admired by the Nurembergers, in whose Rath-haus
they were placed; but were at length presented to the Emperor Rudolph
II. He replaced them with copies, which Napoleon, in 1796, supposed to
be Duerer's original works, and removed to Paris. He afterwards
presented them to the town of Mayence, where they are still exhibited
as Duerer's. The true originals passed into Spain, where they were
first redeemed from oblivion by Passavant, about the year 1853. A copy
of the Adam and Eve, which was executed in Duerer's studio and under
his care, is now at the Pitti Palace.

In the spring of 1507 Duerer met at the house of his brother-in-law
Jacob Frey, the rich Frankfort merchant Jacob Heller, who commissioned
him to paint an altar-piece. He was delayed by a prolonged attack of
fever in the summer, and by the closing works on the Elector's
picture.

Between 1507 and 1514 (inclusive) Duerer made forty-eight engravings
and etchings, and over a hundred woodcuts, bespeaking an iron
diligence and a remarkable power of application. The rapid sale of
these works in frequent new editions gave a large income to their
author, and placed him in a comfortable positi