Peasant Couple Dancing
Albrecht Dürer German
Not on view
The tousled hair, outstretched arms, and entangled legs of the dancers create a human whirligig in a seemingly sympathetic depiction of two peasants celebrating. However, Dürer purposefully structured the composition to amplify its derisive message.
By showing the man’s back, the artist makes evident his shabby attire: note the shirt’s torn elbow and the worn-out boot sole. Dürer equates the peasant’s boisterous manner with foolishness. While the man remains ignorant, we are party to his emasculation by his dance partner. She has stolen his money bag and dagger, considered not-so-subtle allusions to his genitals.
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