six years of his life Duerer's art-works were
limited to a few portraits and engravings, and the great pictures of
the Four Apostles. Much of his time was devoted to the publication of
the fruits of his long experience, in several literary treatises, most
of which are now lost. His broken health would not allow of continuous
work, as the inroads of insidious disease slowly wasted his strength
and ate away his vitality.

The Little Masters were a group of artists who were formed in
the studio or under the influence of Duerer, shining as a bright
constellation of genius in the twilight of German art. Among these
were the Bavarian Altdorfer, who combined in his brilliant paintings
and engravings both fantasy and romanticism; the Westphalian
Aldegrever, a laborious painter and a prolific engraver; Barthel
Beham, who afterwards studied with and counterfeited the works of
Marc Antonio in Italy; Hans Sebald Beham, who illustrated lewd
fables and prayer books with equal skill and relish, and was finally
driven from Nuremberg; Jacob Binck of Cologne, a neat and accurate
draughtsman, who removed to Rome, and engraved Raphael's works under
the supervision of Marc Antonio; George Pensz, who also studied under
the great Italian engraver, and executed 126 fine prints, besides
several paintings. Other assistants and pupils of Duerer, of whom
little but their names are now remembered, were Hans Brosamer of Fulda,
and Hans Springinklee. Hans von Culmbach was a careful follower, who
surpassed his master in love of nature and her warm and harmonious
colors. The Tucher altar-piece in St. Sebald's Church was his
master-picture. Contemporary with the Nuremberg painter, Matthew
Grunewald was doing excellent work at Aschaffenburg, in northern
Franconia. Among the German artists of his time, he was surpassed
only by Duerer and Holbein.

The Diet of the Empire was held at Nuremberg in 1522, and the
Rath-haus was repainted and decorated for its sessions. Duerer was paid
100 florins for his share in this work, although it is not known what
it was. The best of the paintings were executed by his pupil, George
Pensz, and it is probable that the master furnished some of the
designs.

Although our artist held a pension from the Emperor as his
court-painter, his services seem to have never been called into
requisition. Charles spent but little time at Nuremberg, and while yet
in his youth had no care for seeing himself portrayed on canvas. It
was