Three Men in Conversation, 1497-1498
Albrecht Dürerexpand_more
Engravingexpand_more
The William Hood Dunwoody Fund, 1947expand_more P.12,253
Not on Viewexpand_more
Whether or not this engraving refers to contemporary peasant uprisings, as some suggest, Albrecht Dürer treats us to a little absurdity. The man on the left has a sword, prerogative of the nobility but cannot even maintain its sheath. The center man is dressed as an ordinary German peasant but has the beard an turban of a Turk. The assertive man on the right carries a basket of eggs, but his spurs suggest that he may be a knight. This may be a microcosm of the “the world turned upside down,” a notion stemming from the same strain of thought that bought fear of witches and an impending apocalypse as the year 1500 loomed closer.
Details
- Title
- Three Men in Conversation
- Artist Life
- 1471–1528
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.12,253
- Catalogue Raisonne
- M. 87; B.86, 97; D.20
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.