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Allegory of Africa, from "The Four Continents"

After Edme Bouchardon French
Publisher Georg Martin Preissler German
1732
Not on view
This engraving of a woman representing Africa is one of a set showing the four continents (America, Europe, Asia and Africa) as female figures. It was engraved by Johann Justin Preissler after Edmè Bouchardon. The attributes for each figure correspond with descriptions in Cesare Ripa’s "Iconologia", an illustrated dictionary widely used by artists, first published with images in 1603.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Allegory of Africa, from "The Four Continents"
  • Series/Portfolio: The Four Parts of the World
    (Les Quatres parties du monde)
  • Artist: Johann Justin Preissler (German, 1698–1771)
  • Artist: After Edme Bouchardon (French, Chaumont 1698–1762 Paris)
  • Publisher: Georg Martin Preissler (German, Nuremberg 1700–1754 Nuremberg)
  • Date: 1732
  • Medium: Engraving
  • Dimensions: Sheet (trimmed): 11 1/8 × 12 15/16 in. (28.2 × 32.8 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1953
  • Object Number: 53.600.2408
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

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Allegory of America, from "The Four Continents", Johann Justin Preissler German, Engraving
Allegory of America, from "The Four Continents"
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1732
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Peter Paul Rubens
1710–71
Allegory of Europe, from "The Four Continents", Johann Justin Preissler German, Engraving
Allegory of Europe, from "The Four Continents"
Johann Justin Preissler
Edme Bouchardon
1730–71
Allegory of Asia, from "The Four Continents", Johann Justin Preissler German, Engraving
Allegory of Asia, from "The Four Continents"
Multiple artists/makers
1732
Venus and Cupid on a Cloud, Johann Justin Preissler German, Engraving
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