Albrecht Dürer
Master of the Renaissance

1891

The National Gallery of Victoria's Dürer collection began with the acquisition of beautiful impressions of Dürer's three master engravings, Knight, Death and the Devil, 1513, St Jerome in his Study and Melencolia I, both 1514. These, with a number of other important prints, were purchased at the sale of the respected collection of Sir Frances Seymour Haden (1818–1910), an influential English etcher and advocate of printmaking.

1923

A group of fifty-three Dürer prints were among some two thousand prints acquired from the collection of Carl Robert Sticht (1856–1922), an American collector and mine manager who had been based in Queenstown, Tasmania.

1933

The artist Lionel Lindsay (1874–1961) offered a number of Dürer prints to the NGV. Lindsay had first seen Dürer's graphic skill in 1892, when the NGV displayed the prints acquired from Haden in 1891. These were inspirational in Lindsay's decision to create prints himself. His success, and exhibitions of his work at the London print dealers, Colnaghi's and Co., brought him into contact with Dürer experts, such as Harold Wright. The NGV acquired thirty-six prints from Lindsay, including fine impressions of most of the series The Small Passion.

1936

At the sale of the noted collection of Henry Oppenheimer's (1859–1932), held at Christies in London, the Gallery acquired its only Dürer drawing, The Madonna crowned by one angel, 1520, together with a number of other Old Master drawings. This sale was attended by Dr Ursula Hoff, who was later Keeper of the NGV's collection.

1943

Dr Ursula Hoff (1909–2005) was appointed Keeper in the Prints and Drawings Department of the National Gallery of Victoria. Hoff had been taught by and worked with some of the most eminent European art historians in Germany and London before she emigrated to Australia in 1939. She was the first academically trained curator in Australia, and brought to the NGV a new level of art historical expertise and academic rigour, and sound principles of curatorship and connoisseurship. Her influence upon this institution was immense. After her retirement in 1973 she served the Gallery as Trustee and as Felton Bequest Adviser.

1949

Hoff purchased for the collection twenty-one Dürer prints, including the entire Engraved Passion, from Tomàs Harris, a respected London dealer.

1956

The NGV was offered the remarkable opportunity to acquire one of the most complete collections of Dürer's prints. Renowned among Dürer scholars, this superb collection had been meticulously gathered over fifty years by Sir Thomas Barlow of Manchester (1883–1964). During this time Sir Thomas had acquired prints from the dispersal of a number of noted European collections and had continually sought prints he did not yet have, as well as the best possible impressions. This resulted in a collection of over 300 prints and thirty books, of exceptional quality and including many rare and unique impressions.

Barlow had known of the NGV's collection for a number of years and had visited Melbourne twice, developing a great respect for its collection and its staff. Key figures in assisting this acquisition were Daryl Lindsay, Director of the NGV from 1941 to 1955; A.J.L. McDonnell, Felton Bequest Adviser in London, and Dr Hoff, who had met Barlow and was, fortuitously, in London when Barlow formally offered the collection to the NGV.

The Barlow Collection was purchased by the Felton Bequest's Committee for the Gallery in 1956–57. The NGV's enhanced Dürer collection was displayed in 1957 and has been regularly shown in subsequent years.

1971

Dürer and his Times, curated by Sonia Dean, was exhibited at the NGV to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Dürer's birth.

1994

A substantial exhibition of Dürer's prints and books, curated by Irena Zdanowicz, was shown in the Robert Raynor Gallery, NGV. This exhibition included the vast woodcut The Triumphal Arch of Maximilian I installed for the first time in Melbourne. For this exhibition, the entire Dürer holdings were thoroughly catalogued by Cathy Leahy. This information was published in Albrecht Dürer in the Collection of the National Gallery of Victoria, which accompanied the exhibition. The exhibition was accompanied by a scholarly symposium organised jointly by the NGV and the University of Melbourne.

2005

Albrecht Dürer: Master of the Renaissance opens at the newly refurbished NGV International, dedicated to the memory of Dr Ursula Hoff. The NGV's Dürer collection is made accessible online.