Images
https://piction.clevelandart.org/cma/ump.di?e=3FFD2B4A51A640238ECCFB4E220B9F1F567CF89C643D590184F8DC0B2F4DB389&s=24247294&se=496459611&v=3&f=1934.340_o2.jpg
Jun 5, 2006
The Sea Monster
The Sea Monster
c. 1501
Albrecht Dürer
(German, 1471–1528)
Engraving
Sheet: 24.5 x 18.6 cm (9 5/8 x 7 5/16 in.); Mat Size: 49 x 36.3 cm (19 5/16 x 14 5/16 in.)
Gift of Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. 1934.340
Catalogue raisonné: Meder 66
Location
Download and Share
Description
The precise narrative of Dürer’s Sea Monster remains a source of debate among scholars because locating the origin of this imagery in either classical or German mythology has been difficult. The engraving depicts a woman’s abduction by a horned mythical hybrid creature that has the torso of a man and the tail of a fish. Set before a detailed coastal landscape featuring Nuremberg castle, the woman’s companions across the river flail their arms in distress over her kidnapping. While it is clear that Dürer aimed to showcase his achievements in portraying a reclining female nude, her somewhat blasé appearance and lack of struggle add to the peculiarity of this image.
Contact us
The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.
To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.
All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.