Philosofia (Philosophy)
- Date
- c.1465
- Material
- Engraving, hand-colored
- made in
- Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna region, Italy, Europe
- Classification
- Prints
- Collection
- Prints, Drawings, and Photographs
- Current Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- sheet, trimmed: 7 in. x 3 15/16 in. (17.8 x 10 cm)
framed (exhibition frame 2017): 15 5/8 × 12 5/8 in. (39.7 × 32.1 cm) - Credit Line
- Gift of Mark Steinberg Weil and Phoebe Dent Weil
- Rights
- Public Domain
- Object Number
- 108:2021
NOTES
This female figure personifies philosophy. Her armor, sword, and shield may seem odd as attributes of intellectual pursuit; however their inclusion echoes representations of Minerva, the ancient Roman goddess who presided over wisdom as well as war.
The light gray tones and clear-cut linear quality of this engraving are hallmarks of Italian engraving in the 15th century. The light golden accents were applied to the print by hand and are also characteristic of early impressions. The print is one of 50 so-called tarot cards (tarocchi in Italian), whose original use remains unknown. The cards are divided into five “suits” representing a full range of the human condition and the celestial world. The set begins with a beggar, and includes the planets and the seven liberal arts (to which Philosofia is added), ending with the “Prime Mover” and the “First Cause,” or God himself.
The light gray tones and clear-cut linear quality of this engraving are hallmarks of Italian engraving in the 15th century. The light golden accents were applied to the print by hand and are also characteristic of early impressions. The print is one of 50 so-called tarot cards (tarocchi in Italian), whose original use remains unknown. The cards are divided into five “suits” representing a full range of the human condition and the celestial world. The set begins with a beggar, and includes the planets and the seven liberal arts (to which Philosofia is added), ending with the “Prime Mover” and the “First Cause,” or God himself.
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