Artwork

Time and a Fox Turning the Wheel of Fortune with People of all Ranks to the Right

Time and a Fox Turning the Wheel of Fortune with People of all Ranks to the Right is an ink print by the Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. It dates from 1526 and is held in the collection of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

About this work

Overview

Albrecht Dürer’s woodcut, titled *Time and a Fox Turning the Wheel of Fortune with People of all Ranks to the Right*, dates to around 1526. The print presents a complex allegorical scene in which a wheel, traditionally associated with Fortune, is turned by a fox, while a variety of figures and animals occupy its circumference.

Subject & Meaning

The composition juxtaposes human figures of differing social status ascending the wheel’s right side with a fox, birds and a dog descending on the opposite side. This reversal suggests a commentary on the transient nature of worldly rank, implying that while people may experience elevation, the natural world is subject to decline, reflecting the passage of time.

Technique & Style

Executed as a woodcut, the image relies on stark contrasts of black and white line work typical of Dürer’s printmaking. The intricate carving allows for detailed rendering of the fox’s fur, the birds’ feathers, and the varied attire of the human figures, while the repetitive pattern of the wheel creates a rhythmic visual structure.

History & Provenance

Created in the later period of Dürer’s career, the print is catalogued among his allegorical works that explore moral and philosophical themes. Surviving copies are held in several European collections, confirming its circulation as a printed illustration of Renaissance ideas about Fortune and the mutable fortunes of humanity.