Abbot

1651

Wenceslaus Hollar after Hans Holbein the Younger after Abraham van Diepenbeeck

Associated Names
Wenceslaus Hollar

Artist, Bohemian, 1607 - 1677

Abraham van Diepenbeeck

Artist After, Flemish, 1596 - 1675

Hans Holbein the Younger

Artist After, German, 1497/1498 - 1543

This is a drawing of a cloaked figure interacting with a skeletal figure amidst ornate and symbolic elements. The central image depicts a skeletal figure with a crown, holding a spade and a staff with a crown hooked on it, engaged in a dynamic pose against a cloaked figure holding a book and a yoke. The backdrop reveals a picturesque countryside with small structures, trees, and clouds in the sky. Surrounding this scene, the border is adorned with symbolic items such as crowns, masks, and what appears to be a papal tiara. These items rest atop columns where two armored figures flank the central scene, one holding a spear and shield while the other leans on a club. Below the main scene, a Latin inscription is etched into the frame, referencing Proverbs 5:23. Additionally, the base of the image features an arrangement of objects including a skull, hat, and sword. The entire artwork is intricately detailed, illustrating a theme of life, death, knowledge, and power through its symbolic and allegorical elements.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching with border "Minerva and Hercules" (Pennington 233B)

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.4887

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    New Hollstein, no. 1138, State i/iv

  • Series Title

    Dance of Death [Pennington 233-262]


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Fritz Rumpf [1856-1927], Potsdam (Lugt 2161); (sale, C.G. Boerner, Leipzig, May 7-9, 1928, lot 588); purchased by Lessing J. Rosenwald [1891-1979], Jenkintown, PA (Lugt 1760b), 1928; gift to NGA, 1943.

Associated Names

Bibliography

1982

  • Pennington, Richard. A Descriptive Catalogue of the Etched Work of Wenceslaus Hollar 1607-1677. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1982.

1996

  • The New Hollstein German Engravings, Etchings and Woodcuts, 1400-1700. (Wenceslaus Hollar, Simon Turner, author). Rotterdam: Sound & Vision Interactive, 1996-, no. 1138, state i/iv.

Wikidata ID

Q64962463

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