The Small Fortune (B. 78; M., Holl. 71; S.M.S. 5)

細節

Albrecht Dürer
The Small Fortune (B. 78; M., Holl. 71; S.M.S. 5)
engraving, circa 1495, a good but slightly later Meder b impression, without watermark, trimmed just inside the platemark on three sides and 10 mm. into the blank area at the top, a short skilful repair at the left edge
S. 108 x 65 mm.

注意事項

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

拍品專文

The small Fortune is the first nude in Dürer's printed work. It is a precursor of the famous Great Fortune (see previous lot), albeit on a much smaller scale. Whilst the figure in the larger work reigns supreme over the fate of men, the powers of The small Fortune are not quite so all-encompassing. The figure of the woman balancing on a ball holding a thistle has always been read as an allegory for the fickleness of earthly love. The thistle is a symbol of love and lust - we also see one growing on the grassy bench in The Ravisher (lot 1) - while the motif of the ball occurs again in The Dream of the Doctor (lot 26), where it serves to illustrate a similar idea.