Large Piece of Turf

Albrecht Dürer
Large Piece of Turf (The Great Turf), Albrecht Durer, 1503

When we first viewed Large Piece of Turf in class, I thought that the piece of art was not very interesting and didn't have much to it. When I first saw it, all I saw was grass. Then we discussed the painting more. I realized that the talent that Durer possessed in order to paint the single blades of grass was extraordinary. The realistic aspect of the painting is also quite impressive. Durer's attention to detail and color shows his dedication to the piece and how hard he worked to accomplish this in the painting. 

I also remembered Mr. Luce asking the students who were in the drawing and painting classes, which included myself, if we could paint with that concentration to detail. While I would love to say that I could, my skills cannot compare to Durer's. However, now when I paint or draw I think of this painting, and strive to get as close as my talents will let me to this incredible painting. By trying to practice these techniques that the experts use, my skills as an artist, I feel, have improved. Without this painting and the lessons I have learned from it in class, I might have not felt this inspiration to try and paint better than what I could already paint. 

The last aspect about this painting I realized was that it had a deeper message. Again, I had thought - that's just grass on an overcast day. But that just wasn't right. When we examined it further in class, we talked about the religious aspect of it. How the blades reach up towards the sky as if they are reaching towards heaven. This view was eye-opening to me. Since I had not seen a message behind the painting, I felt like I cheated the artist by not trying to understand what they were painting. I know when people go and see my artwork in the art show, I would want them to feel some kind of emotion from my painting and not just stare at it and decide whether it is good or bad. So I say, thank you Albrecht Durer. 

Editor's Note: The students were assigned to write about the artwork that has impacted them the most. These pieces will run for  about two weeks. 

  • 7:00 AM

Great Piece of Turf

Albrecht Dürer
Albrecht Durer, Great Piece of Turf, 1503
When given the assignment "write about a painting that you don't like but could come to appreciate," Great Piece of Turf immediately popped into my head. My introduction to this painting was awkward and hurried, and I instantaneously hated it. More like, I hated the fact that I stood at the front of the class looking at it with nothing to say. First day of Art History last year was rough. Mr. Luce's 7th hour Art History has a rite of passage:  first years, mostly juniors, are forced to stand up at the front of the room, given nothing but a yard stick, and told to analyze a painting. I got Great Piece of Turf. I was lost, unhinged, and slightly angry that I sketched all summer and read all the required reading but was totally unprepared for this task. All I could see were those leafy greens staring back at me saying....nothing. This went on for a good minute or two until Mr. Luce took what I thought was mercy on me and let me sit down. The next five minutes were anything but merciful.

Even now my cheeks are heating up with embarrassment as I recall the verbal fuselage fired at the painting projected on the board. Except, one thing bothered me at the time, I didn't agree with anything said. All that fancy art history-speak about the vertical movement of the plants and the obvious religious overtones didn't mesh with me. I don't see it. I'm sorry, but I don't see it.

I see a very-well painted study of different local grasses. I see balance and depth. I see the biologically correct assignment of color. I feel calm. I feel bucolic. But I don't see or feel religious. Maybe it's because I'm not a religious person, or that sometimes things have to be obvious for me to get it, but I have never been able to see past the literal in this painting.

  • 7:00 AM