Artwork

The Seven Vices: Gluttony

The Seven Vices:  Gluttony, by Hans Burgkmair the Elder, 1510
The Seven Vices:  Gluttony, by Hans Burgkmair the Elder, 1510

The Seven Vices: Gluttony is a print by the Renaissance artist Hans Burgkmair the Elder. It dates from 1510 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

The Seven Vices: Gluttony, a c. 1510 print by Hans Burgkmair, is part of The Cleveland Museum of Art's collection. This black-and-white drawing depicts a lavishly dressed woman embodying the vice of gluttony.

Subject & Meaning

The subject, a richly attired woman, holds a goblet and a platter of food, symbolizing excessive indulgence. A pig at her feet, sniffing for scraps, adds a humorous yet critical note to the portrayal of gluttony as a deadly sin.

Technique & Style

Executed in black and white, the drawing showcases detailed renderings, notably in the woman's long, belted skirt. The style aligns with Renaissance aesthetics, characterized by meticulous attention to detail and symbolic composition.

History & Provenance

Created around 1510 by Hans Burgkmair, the work's provenance is currently traced to The Cleveland Museum of Art, though earlier ownership history is not detailed here.

Context

This piece fits within the broader Renaissance theme of illustrating the Seven Deadly Sins, a common moralistic subject in early 16th-century European art. The use of a pig underscores the sinful nature of gluttony.

Legacy

As part of a series on the Seven Vices, this work contributes to the artistic and moral discourse of its time, offering a visual commentary on the dangers of gluttony that remains interpretively relevant.

Artist & collection

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.