Artwork Page for The Men's Bath House

Details / Information for The Men's Bath House

The Men's Bath House

c. 1496–97

Albrecht Dürer

(German, 1471–1528)
Culture
Germany, late 15th
Medium
woodcut
Credit Line
Fiftieth anniversary gift of The Print Club of Cleveland 1969.271
Catalogue raisonné
Meder 266
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print

Description

Albrecht Dürer’s depiction of men relaxing in a public bath house was unusual in the early 1500s because it showed nudity without an accompanying mythological or biblical narrative. The print showcases Dürer’s ability to depict the male figure in various inventive poses and may feature portraits of some of his friends. Meant to be studied closely, the image includes visual puns such as the faucet placed near the man’s groin at left. The popularity of the print during Dürer’s lifetime may relate to the 1496 closure of the public bath in his hometown of Nuremberg to prevent a syphilis outbreak.
A vertically oriented print in black ink on light paper shaded with fine, hatched lines depicts six muscular men in an open wooden structure. In the foreground, a seated man wearing a turban faces another seen from behind. Behind them, musicians play a flute and fiddle while a third man drinks. To the left, a man leans against a wooden pedestal. A town and castle fill the background, and a monogram sits at bottom center.

The Men's Bath House

c. 1496–97

Albrecht Dürer

(German, 1471–1528)
Germany, late 15th

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