Kaiser Max and Albrecht Dürer had an almost friendly relationship, despite the fact that Dürer was not a nobleman, and at that time, even a genius like him was considered more of a 'craftsman' by many people in the higher classes. Maximilian thought differently; he was able to look past the lack of a name, a title, or a family crest when it came to men of talent and genius.
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| Self portrait by Dürer |
One day, Dürer was painting on a ladder in the presence of the emperor and several other nobles. He was really getting into his work, and didn't notice that the ladder was wobbling. Maximilian noticed though, and called upon one of the nobleman to hold onto the ladder to steady it.
Well, that guy was shocked and appalled that the emperor would ask him to do such a menial thing. Me hold a ladder for a craftsperson, what is the world coming to. At this point, Maximilian just jumped in and held the ladder himself, while noting sarcastically that he could make any farmer into a nobleman, but he couldn't make any nobleman into an Albrecht Dürer!
Nice one, Majesty.
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| Drawing of Maximilian by Dürer Augsburg, June 1518 |
LATER EDIT: About two months after reading this story, I had the opportunity to interview a leading scholar of Renaissance art, and Albrecht Dürer in particular, Dr. Jeffrey Chipps Smith of the University of Texas at Austin. I asked him whether this story was apocryphal and he said it probably was. He cited a similar story about Henry VIII and Hans Holbein.
Just wanted to add that for the sake of completeness, but it's still a great story.
Nice one, indeed!!
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