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An Allegory

1598
Not on view
The joint appearance of Venus, goddess of love, and Mars, god of war, with the figure of Cupid upon a skeleton, suggests that this drawing is an allegory of peace, with love restraining war and thus triumphing over death. At the same time, the statuette in Venus’s hand—clearly representing Mercury, god of merchants and thieves—the open chest overflowing with treasure, and the inscription identifying money as a source of conflict all point in another direction: toward vanitas themes concerning the fleeting pleasures and ultimate ills of wealth and worldly indulgences. Originally part of a friendship album, this enigmatic drawing might well have presented its recipient with a puzzle to decipher according to his or her own inclinations.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: An Allegory
  • Artist: Adam Gutmann (German, Constance 1567–1637, active Salzburg)
  • Date: 1598
  • Medium: Pen and black ink, gray, brownish-green and pink washes
  • Dimensions: sheet: 8 x 6 in. (20.3 x 15.2 cm)
  • Classification: Drawings
  • Credit Line: Harry G. Sperling Fund, 2007
  • Object Number: 2007.413
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

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