Wanderjahre and marriage (1490–1494) Albrecht Dürer

the earliest painted self-portrait (1493) albrecht dürer, oil, on vellum (louvre, paris)

after completing term of apprenticeship, dürer followed common german custom of taking wanderjahre—in effect gap years —in apprentice learned skills artists in other areas; dürer spend 4 years away. left in 1490, possibly work under martin schongauer, leading engraver of northern europe, died shortly before dürer s arrival @ colmar in 1492. unclear dürer travelled in intervening period, though went frankfurt , netherlands. in colmar, dürer welcomed schongauer s brothers, goldsmiths caspar , paul , painter ludwig. in 1493 dürer went strasbourg, have experienced sculpture of nikolaus gerhaert. dürer s first painted self-portrait (now in louvre) painted @ time, sent fiancée in nuremberg.

in 1492 dürer travelled basel stay brother of martin schongauer, goldsmith georg. after return nuremberg, on 7 july 1494, @ age of 23, dürer married agnes frey following arrangement made during absence. agnes daughter of prominent brass worker (and amateur harpist) in city. however, no children resulted marriage.