Disruptive Technology and Materiality as Vessels of Authorship; the Dürer Paradigm 74 frantzeska papadopoulou skarp Albrecht Dürer is without a doubt one of the most famous artists of his time, and one with an international and timeless legacy. Although his artistic value is widely recognized, there is very little research on the traits that made his impact on the art market extend beyond his actual art, namely his business models, his strategic distribution policies, the use of contractual agreements to safeguard his interests as well as his resort to the legal system and when necessary to the courts in order to protect the value of his artistic creations and his brand.1 In the early 16th century, the meaning and value of authorship were undergoing a critical transformation. Emerging from the medieval tradition of anonymous craftsmanship, artists like Dürer began to assert a new model of authorship that emphasized individual creativity, recognition, and claims of ownership.2 Dürer prominently signed his works with his monogram, treated his prints as a form of protected intellectual property, and even pursued legal action to protect his creations from unauthorized copying — a striking early defence of artistic rights in a world still lacking copyright legislation.3 The central tensions of Dürer’s era revolved around the artist’s struggle for personal recognition versus the traditional anonymity of craft, the emergence of originality against the backdrop of collaborative workshop practices, and the assertion of ownership in a commercial environment where technological innovations like the printing press made unauthorized reproduction increasingly common.4 Background 1 There is an extensive interest in Dürer as an artist, and extensive research on his work and contributions. See for instance, Rossiter, Henry P. ‘Dürer the Incomparable’, BostonMuseum Bulletin, 69 (357), 1971, pp. 96–130. There is a publication looking into trademark law related aspects of the Dürer’s business model, see Karol, Peter, Albrecht Dürer’s Enforcement Actions: A Trademark Origin Story 2023, pp. 445–462. 2 See for instance the extensive contribution of Pon Lisa, Raphael, Dürer and Marcantonio Raimondi: Copying and the Italian Renaissance Print 2004, pp. 27-33. 3 Hutchison, Campbell, Jane, Albrecht Dürer: A Biography, Princeton 1990, pp. 406.
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