Fortitude (ca. 1515–27)
Original title: Fortitude in profile view walking toward a fire at left and leading a harnessed lion, a landscape in the background
kurzbeschreibung
Fortitudo, the personification of strength, appears as a woman in profile striding to the left, leading a subdued lion by a harness. Marco Dente made this engraving around 1515–27; the sheet measures 26 × 18.5 cm. The motif combines the embodiment of courage with the iconographic tradition of the tamed beast.
Description
A woman, seen in profile facing the viewer, moves to the left. She wears a simple gown and a headband; by a harness resembling armor she guides a lion that follows with lowered head. The harness refers to the taming of the beast. A landscape with mountains, trees, and a building closes the space behind; on the left, a fire is visible. The layout feels balanced: the group of figures stands in the foreground, the landscape behind. The print remains in shades of gray and white, with delicate shading characteristic of engraving.
Context
Marco Dente, an Italian engraver of the Renaissance, created this sheet in the first half of the 16th century. The print presumably goes back to a design by Raphael or his school, since Dente often worked from models of Raphael's workshop. The allegory of Fortitudo was a common motif in the Renaissance, presenting the virtue of steadfastness in printmaking and art theory. Dente was active in Rome and known for his precise reproductions of ancient and contemporary artworks.
Impact
Calm and balanced, the scene appears; the symmetrical arrangement gives it monumental stasis. Contrasts between the delicate lines of the landscape and the stronger contours of the figures ensure clear legibility. A serene superiority emanates from the allegory, emphasized further by the tamed animal.
Technique
In this engraving, the lines were incised into a metal plate and then printed. Fine hatching and cross-hatching create graduated gray tones and sculptural shadows. The impression is trimmed to 26 × 18.5 cm, suggesting later treatment of the sheet.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)