The Dream, c. 1500
Albrecht Dürerexpand_more
Engravingexpand_more
Bequest of Herschel V. Jonesexpand_more P.68.147
Not on Viewexpand_more
As a man snoozes in downy comfort beside a warm ceramic oven, a demon blows wicked thoughts into his ear with a bellows. A proverb says, “Idleness is the devil’s pillow.” Temptation has arrived in the form of a classical Venus, whose gesture invites the sleeper’s attention. Two symbols of unsteadiness suggest the man is vulnerable: a putto attempting to hike himself onto a pair of stilts and the sphere of Fate that can go in any direction. An apple sits on the stove to remind us that the devil offers a warmed-over version of the original temptation in the Garden of Eden.
Details
- Title
- The Dream
- Artist Life
- 1471–1528
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.68.147
- Provenance
- Duke of Buccleuch Coll. (L. 402); Rouiller Gallery, 1919
- Catalogue Raisonne
- B.76, M.70 a or b/F HOLL. 70 D.28
- 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.
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