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Fortuna in a Niche

1498
Not on view
This female nude, thought to represent an allegory of Fortune, reflects Albrecht Dürer’s lifelong exploration of the ideal human form based on geometric principles. His study of human proportions—a central aspect of Renaissance culture—culminated in a treatise dedicated to the subject. The German master was introduced to the notion of the ideal proportions of beauty during his first trip to Venice in 1495, around the time he made this drawing. While the goddess Fortuna is usually depicted blindfolded and draped, here she has an unabashed gaze and an air of self-assurance.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Fortuna in a Niche
  • Artist: Albrecht Dürer (German, Nuremberg 1471–1528 Nuremberg)
  • Date: 1498
  • Medium: Pen and greenish brown ink
  • Dimensions: 12 13/16 x 4 11/16 in. (32.5 x 11.9 cm)
  • Classification: Drawings
  • Credit Line: Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
  • Object Number: 1975.1.861
  • Curatorial Department: The Robert Lehman Collection

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