Dürer or Goltzius? Mystery surrounding Renaissance engraving unveiled at Astana exhibition

Titled “Dürer: Metamorphoses of Alchemy”, the exhibition brings together graphic works, illustrations from early printed books, historical portraits, alchemical treatises and materials exploring the relationship between art, science and philosophy during the Northern Renaissance.

The opening ceremony was attended by Archbishop George Panamthundil, Apostolic Nuncio to Kazakhstan, who reflected on the importance of art in an increasingly technology-driven world.

“In a world increasingly dominated by technology, artificial intelligence and instant information, we need this transforming power of art more than ever,” he said.

“Technology can provide us with information, but art invites us to contemplation. Technology helps us to find answers. Art often helps us discover better questions,” the archbishop added.

Panamthundil also drew a parallel between the exhibition’s theme of transformation and Astana’s development, describing the Kazakh capital as a city that had evolved from the vast steppe into a meeting place of cultures and ideas.

Mystery behind the Pietà engraving

Leila Makhat, founder of Kulanshi Art Center and curator of the exhibition, revealed that the project had been in preparation for more than a year and a half, with exhibits collected from different countries.

According to Makhat, one of the exhibition’s greatest mysteries concerns the authorship of Pietà, an engraving depicting the Virgin Mary mourning Jesus Christ.

“Was it made by Dürer, as it is written in many analogues, or was it made by his fan and copyist Goltzius?” she asked.

Makhat explained that expert opinions remain divided, with some publications attributing the work to Dürer and others to Dutch engraver Hendrick Goltzius (1558-1617), who was known for his ability to imitate the styles of earlier masters.

“I think we will not be able to answer this question, because artists and experts are divided exactly into two camps,” she said.

Nevertheless, the curator suggested that the artistic and emotional significance of the work goes beyond the question of authorship.

“I think the point is in the beauty. I think the point is that these stories touch everyone, no matter what religion a person belongs to,” Makhat said.

The exhibition examines how Dürer (1471-1528), one of the leading figures of the Northern Renaissance, combined artistic mastery with an interest in mathematics, geometry, human proportions and the natural world.

Alchemy serves as a central metaphor for transformation, illustrating how artists turned ordinary materials into works of art and transformed observation into knowledge.

Makhat also highlighted Dürer’s theoretical writings, noting that the exhibition features a page from one of his treatises. She said further details about his life, artistic methods and lesser-known biographical facts would be explored during lectures associated with the exhibition.

Concluding his remarks, Panamthundil encouraged visitors to rediscover their sense of curiosity.

“Because the greatest discovery is not always something new in the world, sometimes it is a new way of looking at the world we already know,” he said.

Earlier, Qazinform reported on the “GLOCAL” exhibition at Kazakhstan’s National Museum, featuring photographs and stories of 30 people connected to UN-supported programs.