Artwork
"You Are Tying a Dolphin by the Tail" [fol. 17 recto]
!["You Are Tying a Dolphin by the Tail" [fol. 17 recto], by French early 16th Century, ink, 1514](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/french-early-16th-century--you-are-tying-a-dolphin-by-the-tail-fol-17-recto--0abe83abfb5ccd1d-w1024.webp)
"You Are Tying a Dolphin by the Tail" [fol. 17 recto] is an ink drawing by the Renaissance artist French early 16th Century. It dates from 1514 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. You Are Tying a Dolphin by the Tail (fol.
About this work
Overview
You Are Tying a Dolphin by the Tail (fol. 17 recto) is a Renaissance-era drawing executed in pen and black ink on laid paper.
Subject & Meaning
This allegorical drawing conveys a symbolic message, typical of Renaissance artistic practices. The specific narrative or moral implied by the act of 'tying a dolphin by the tail' is not explicitly stated in the provided information, suggesting the interpretation relies on the viewer's understanding of Renaissance allegorical conventions.
Technique & Style
The drawing showcases a restrained yet expressive use of pen and black ink, characteristic of Renaissance draftsmanship. The medium and technique emphasize linearity and contrast, focusing attention on the allegorical subject.
History & Provenance
Created during the Renaissance, a period of significant cultural and artistic transformation in Europe. Specific details regarding the artist, exact date, or ownership history are not provided.
Context
Emerges from the Renaissance's rich tradition of allegorical art, where symbols and metaphors were used to convey complex ideas or morals. Understanding the piece fully would require contextual knowledge of contemporary allegorical themes.
Legacy
The lasting impact or influence of 'You Are Tying a Dolphin by the Tail' on subsequent art or allegorical practices is not detailed in the provided information.
Artist & collection
Artist
A French draftsman from the early 1500s filled sheets of laid paper with tiny, sharp-tongued instructions—ink sketches paired with warnings like “Do Not Eat Your Heart Out” or “Feed Not Things That Have Sharp Claws.”…
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![The Calumny of Apelles [fol. 6 recto], by French early 16th Century](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/french-early-16th-century--the-calumny-of-apelles-fol-6-recto--037fde9ac8dbd27b-w320.webp)
!["Do Not Make Water on Clippings from Nails or Hair" [fol. 30 recto], by French early 16th Century](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/french-early-16th-century--do-not-make-water-on-clippings-from-nails-or-hair-fol-30-rec--03ca31c36e5a66b9-w320.webp)
!["Feed Not Things That Have Sharp Claws" [fol. 38 recto], by French early 16th Century](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/french-early-16th-century--feed-not-things-that-have-sharp-claws-fol-38-recto--1f28115410528631-w320.webp)
![A Courtier Standing Between Covetousness and Dissimulation [fol. 14 recto], by French early 16th Century](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/french-early-16th-century--a-courtier-standing-between-covetousness-and-dissimulation-f--2578f4fe9846edc2-w320.webp)
![A Fool Feeding Flowers to Swine [fol. 42 recto], by French early 16th Century](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/french-early-16th-century--a-fool-feeding-flowers-to-swine-fol-42-recto--27579a7c495e1682-w320.webp)
!["You Are Shooting at Heaven" [fol. 9 recto], by French early 16th Century](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/french-early-16th-century--you-are-shooting-at-heaven-fol-9-recto--28e4ef6e8d8a696d-w320.webp)
!["Do Not Give Your Right Hand to All and Sundry" [fol. 13 recto], by French early 16th Century](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/french-early-16th-century--do-not-give-your-right-hand-to-all-and-sundry-fol-13-recto--3038ce878ea69e05-w320.webp)
!["Do Not Break the Crown" [fol. 43 recto], by French early 16th Century](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/french-early-16th-century--do-not-break-the-crown-fol-43-recto--b20452df13e7d70b-w320.webp)


!["Do Not Put Food in a Chamber Pot" [fol. 24 recto], by French early 16th Century](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/french-early-16th-century--do-not-put-food-in-a-chamber-pot-fol-24-recto--d8daafe9a6d80af4-w320.webp)







!["Do Not Wear a Tight-Fitting Ring" [fol. 23 recto], by French early 16th Century](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/french-early-16th-century--do-not-wear-a-tight-fitting-ring-fol-23-recto--9039c5a06c0992f6-w320.webp)