Artwork
Temperance
Temperance is a print by the Northern Renaissance artist Heinrich Aldegrever. It dates from 1552 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Temperance is a 1552 engraving by Heinrich Aldegrever, a German artist associated with the 'Little Masters' group, known for detailed, small-scale prints.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a serene, robed woman (embodiment of Temperance) on a rocky shore, contrasted with a tense backdrop: a giant hand emerging from the water, a bird on a broken column, and crashing waves. The Latin inscription emphasizes the virtues of poverty and sobriety in combating vice.
Technique & Style
Characteristic of the 'Little Masters,' the engraving showcases Aldegrever's refined and detailed style, reflecting the technical precision of his generation, which followed in the footsteps of Albrecht Dürer.
History & Provenance
Part of a series illustrating virtues and vices, where allegorical figures personify moral concepts. Specific provenance details are not provided.
Context
Created within the Renaissance tradition, where symbolic imagery was used to convey moral lessons, inviting viewers to interpret and reflect on the depicted virtues.
Artist & collection
Artist
Heinrich Aldegrever or Aldegraf was a German painter and engraver. He was one of the "Little Masters", the group of German artists making small old master prints in the generation after Albrecht Dürer.
