Description of Art: The Little Fortune is one of Albrecht Dürer’s earliest engravings, created around 1495–1496 when the artist was beginning to establish himself in Nuremberg following his travels to Italy. The small engraving depicts the figure of Fortuna, the Roman goddess of luck, standing on a precarious globe or sphere—an allegory for the instability of worldly fortune. She holds attributes of prosperity, often a sail or a cornucopia, symbolizing the gifts and unpredictability of fate.
The work’s intimate scale and refined detail demonstrate Dürer’s early mastery of the burin, as well as his interest in Italian humanist themes. The composition balances grace and unease: Fortuna’s elegant stance contrasts with the precariousness of her footing, suggesting the fleeting and unstable nature of luck and success.
The engraving reveals both Northern Gothic linear precision and emerging Renaissance ideals of proportion and classical allegory. This duality exemplifies Dürer’s role as a cultural bridge between Northern Europe and Italy during the late 15th century.
Artist: Durer, Albrecht
Year Published: 1497
Size of painting: 4 1/4” x 2 9/16”
Collection #: BB-1016
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