Willibald Pirckheimer
Encyclopedia
Willibald Pirckheimer was a German Renaissance
lawyer, author and Renaissance humanist, a wealthy and prominent figure in Nuremberg
in the 16th century, and a member of the governing City Council for two periods. He was the closest friend of the artist Albrecht Dürer
, who made a number of portraits of him, and a close friend of the great humanist and theologian Erasmus
.
Born in Eichstätt
, Bavaria
, the son of a lawyer, Dr Johannes Pirckheimer, he was educated in Italy
, studying law at Padua
and Pavia
for seven years. His wife was called Cresencia, and they had at least a daughter, Felicitas. His elder sister Caritas (1467-1532) was Abbess of St Clare's Franciscan
convent in Nuremberg (also in effect a girl's school for the city's upper class) and was also a gifted classical scholar; Dürer's life of the Virgin
woodcut
series was dedicated to her. He probably met Dürer in 1495.
He was a member of a group of Nuremberg humanists including Conrad Celtis, Sebald Schreyer, and Hartmann Schedel
(author of the Nuremberg Chronicle
). He also was consulted by the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I
on literary matters. He translated many classical texts into German (as well as Greek texts into Latin), and was a believer in translating "by the sense" rather than over-literally, a great question of the day. Among other works, he edited and had published an edition of Ptolemy's Geographia
in 1525.
In 1499 Pirckheimer was chosen by the City Council to command their contingent of troops in the Imperial army during the Swabian War
against the Swiss. On his return he was presented with a gold cup by the City. This may be referred to in Dürer's engraving
Nemesis of about 1502.
As Dürer had not received a classical education, it is usually assumed that much of the display of classical and humanist learning in his works, especially his prints
, reflected his discussions with Pirckheimer. A notable example is Melencolia I
. Pirckheimer lent Dürer the money for his second trip to Italy in 1506-7, and ten letters to him from Dürer in Italy demonstrate the closeness of the friendship, with much teasing. After the death in 1560 of the last of Dürer's immediate family Pirckheimer's grandson Willibald Imhoff bought the remaining Dürer collections and papers. Most of Pirckheimer's own library, famous in its day, was sold by another Imhoff descendent to the Earl of Arundel
in 1636. Much of this passed via the collection of Sir Hans Sloane
to the British Library
.
Like Dürer, he is buried in the cemetery of the Johannis-kirche in Nuremberg.
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
lawyer, author and Renaissance humanist, a wealthy and prominent figure in Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
in the 16th century, and a member of the governing City Council for two periods. He was the closest friend of the artist Albrecht Dürer
Albrecht Dürer
Albrecht Dürer was a German painter, printmaker, engraver, mathematician, and theorist from Nuremberg. His prints established his reputation across Europe when he was still in his twenties, and he has been conventionally regarded as the greatest artist of the Northern Renaissance ever since...
, who made a number of portraits of him, and a close friend of the great humanist and theologian Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus , known as Erasmus of Rotterdam, was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, and a theologian....
.
Born in Eichstätt
Eichstätt
Eichstätt is a town in the federal state of Bavaria, Germany, and capital of the District of Eichstätt. It is located along the Altmühl River, at , and had a population of 13,078 in 2002. It is home to the Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, the lone Catholic university in Germany. The...
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, the son of a lawyer, Dr Johannes Pirckheimer, he was educated in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, studying law at Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
and Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
for seven years. His wife was called Cresencia, and they had at least a daughter, Felicitas. His elder sister Caritas (1467-1532) was Abbess of St Clare's Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
convent in Nuremberg (also in effect a girl's school for the city's upper class) and was also a gifted classical scholar; Dürer's life of the Virgin
Life of the Virgin
The Life of the Virgin, showing narrative scenes from the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a common subject for pictorial cycles in Christian art, often complementing, or forming part of, a cycle on the Life of Christ. In both cases the number of scenes shown varies greatly with the space...
woodcut
Woodcut
Woodcut—occasionally known as xylography—is a relief printing artistic technique in printmaking in which an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood, with the printing parts remaining level with the surface while the non-printing parts are removed, typically with gouges...
series was dedicated to her. He probably met Dürer in 1495.
He was a member of a group of Nuremberg humanists including Conrad Celtis, Sebald Schreyer, and Hartmann Schedel
Hartmann Schedel
Hartmann Schedel was a German physician, humanist, historian, and one of the first cartographers to use the printing press. He was born in Nuremberg...
(author of the Nuremberg Chronicle
Nuremberg Chronicle
right|thumbnail|240px|Fifth dayThe Nuremberg Chronicle is an illustrated Biblical paraphrase and world history that follows the story of human history related in the Bible; it includes the histories of a number of important Western cities. Written in Latin by Hartmann Schedel, with a version in...
). He also was consulted by the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...
on literary matters. He translated many classical texts into German (as well as Greek texts into Latin), and was a believer in translating "by the sense" rather than over-literally, a great question of the day. Among other works, he edited and had published an edition of Ptolemy's Geographia
Geographia (Ptolemy)
The Geography is Ptolemy's main work besides the Almagest...
in 1525.
In 1499 Pirckheimer was chosen by the City Council to command their contingent of troops in the Imperial army during the Swabian War
Swabian War
The Swabian War of 1499 was the last major armed conflict between the Old Swiss Confederacy and the House of Habsburg...
against the Swiss. On his return he was presented with a gold cup by the City. This may be referred to in Dürer's engraving
Engraving
Engraving is the practice of incising a design on to a hard, usually flat surface, by cutting grooves into it. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or glass are engraved, or may provide an intaglio printing plate, of copper or another metal, for printing...
Nemesis of about 1502.
As Dürer had not received a classical education, it is usually assumed that much of the display of classical and humanist learning in his works, especially his prints
Old master print
An old master print is a work of art produced by a printing process within the Western tradition . A date of about 1830 is usually taken as marking the end of the period whose prints are covered by this term. The main techniques concerned are woodcut, engraving and etching, although there are...
, reflected his discussions with Pirckheimer. A notable example is Melencolia I
Melencolia I
Melencolia I is a 1514 engraving by the German Renaissance master Albrecht Dürer. It is an allegorical composition which has been the subject of many interpretations...
. Pirckheimer lent Dürer the money for his second trip to Italy in 1506-7, and ten letters to him from Dürer in Italy demonstrate the closeness of the friendship, with much teasing. After the death in 1560 of the last of Dürer's immediate family Pirckheimer's grandson Willibald Imhoff bought the remaining Dürer collections and papers. Most of Pirckheimer's own library, famous in its day, was sold by another Imhoff descendent to the Earl of Arundel
Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel
Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel KG, was a prominent English courtier during the reigns of King James I and King Charles I, but he made his name as a Grand Tourist and art collector rather than as a politician. When he died he possessed 700 paintings, along with large collections of sculpture,...
in 1636. Much of this passed via the collection of Sir Hans Sloane
Hans Sloane
Sir Hans Sloane, 1st Baronet, PRS was an Ulster-Scot physician and collector, notable for bequeathing his collection to the British nation which became the foundation of the British Museum...
to the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
.
Like Dürer, he is buried in the cemetery of the Johannis-kirche in Nuremberg.