Artwork Page for Coat of Arms with a Skull

Details / Information for Coat of Arms with a Skull

Coat of Arms with a Skull

1503

Albrecht Dürer

(German, 1471–1528)
Culture
Germany, early 16th Century
Medium
engraving
Support
Cream(3) laid paper
Measurements
Sheet: 22.2 x 15.9 cm (8 3/4 x 6 1/4 in.)
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund 1953.9
Catalogue raisonné
Meder 1932, 98
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print

Description

In this visual allegory, Dürer creatively entangled themes of love and death. The hairy wild man, a traditional medieval figure of virility, lust, and aggression, plays the role of lover to a maiden dressed in alluring clothing. The skull on the fanciful coat of arms is a bold reminder that vanity and illicit desire carry a mortal price.
A vertically oriented intricate print in black ink depicts a woman and a wild man beside an elaborate heraldic display. Left, a woman in a floral crown and pleated gown stands as a hairy, bearded man leans over her shoulder. To the right, a shield featuring a large skull sits beneath a winged helmet draped in heavy, swirling foliage. At the bottom center, a small tablet displays the monogram "AD."

Coat of Arms with a Skull

1503

Albrecht Dürer

(German, 1471–1528)
Germany, early 16th Century

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