Artwork
Temperancia (Temperance)
Temperancia (Temperance) is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Master of the E-Series Tarocchi. It dates from 1465 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created around 1465, this copperplate engraving is attributed to the anonymous figure known as the Master of the E‑Series Tarocchi.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1465, this copperplate engraving is attributed to the anonymous figure known as the Master of the E‑Series Tarocchi. The work is titled Temperancia, the Latin term for temperance, and functions as an allegorical representation of the virtue.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a kneeling woman in flowing robes, her hair loose, holding a cup in one hand and a circular object in the other. A small dog rests at her feet. The inscription "TEMPERANCIA" appears at the bottom, indicating the figure’s identification with the moral quality of moderation, while the dog may allude to fidelity or guardianship.
Technique & Style
Executed as an engraving, the artist incised fine lines into a metal plate, producing a range of tonal values through hatching and cross‑hatching. The background is reduced to a few linear marks on the floor, emphasizing the figure and allowing the viewer to focus on the symbolic objects.
History & Provenance
The print belongs to a series of allegorical images associated with the E‑Series of the Tarocchi, a set of medieval cards used for didactic and divinatory purposes. Its precise origin is unknown, but it circulated among collectors of printed material in the late 15th and early 16th centuries.
Context
Temperance appears within a broader tradition of personifying virtues in visual art, a practice common in both manuscript illumination and early printed media. The work reflects the humanist interest in moral philosophy that characterized the early Renaissance in Italy.
Legacy
Although the Master of the E‑Series Tarocchi remains unidentified, the engraving contributes to our understanding of early printmaking and the transmission of allegorical iconography. It serves as a reference point for scholars studying the intersection of art, literature, and moral instruction in the pre‑modern period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Master of the E-Series Tarocchi
Master of the E-Series Tarocchi (b. 1400) was an Italian artist.
