id: 152554 accession number: 1985.37 share license status: CC0 url: https://clevelandart.org/art/1985.37 updated: 2023-05-19 11:03:07.165000 Allegory of Life, 1561. Giorgio Ghisi (Italian, 1520–1582). Engraving; image: 38.1 x 54.4 cm (15 x 21 7/16 in.); secondary support: 43.1 x 59.4 cm (16 15/16 x 23 3/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund 1985.37 title: Allegory of Life title in original language: series: series in original language: creation date: 1561 creation date earliest: 1561 creation date latest: 1561 current location: creditline: Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund copyright: --- culture: Italy, 16th century technique: engraving department: Prints collection: PR - Engraving type: Print find spot: catalogue raisonne: Lewis&Boorsch 28 iia/vi --- CREATORS * Giorgio Ghisi (Italian, 1520–1582) - artist --- measurements: Image: 38.1 x 54.4 cm (15 x 21 7/16 in.); Secondary Support: 43.1 x 59.4 cm (16 15/16 x 23 3/8 in.) state of the work: iia/vi edition of the work: support materials: description: cream(3) laid paper, mounted to laid paper, with an approximately 2.5 cm. wide strip of laid paper applied to each of the four edges (over edges of primary support) watermarks: inscriptions: inscription: center, in plate: SEDET ÆTERNVM / QVE SEDEBIT IFOELIX [line over the 'I' beginning IFOELIX] ; lower left, in plate: RAPHAELIS VRBINATIS INVENTVM. / PHILIPPVS DATVS ANIMI GRATIA / FIERI IVSSIT. ; lower center, on tablet in boat, in plate: GEORGIVS / GHISI MAT. / .F 1.5.6.1. [line over 'A'] ; lower right, in plate: TV NE CEDE MALIS : SED / COTRA AVDENTIOR ITO [line over 'O' in COTRA] ; VERSO, center, in pen and brown ink: [illegible word crossed out] ; lower right, in graphite: 7073 translation: remark: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS title: Images of the Mind opening date: 1987-07-07T04:00:00 Images of the Mind. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 7-August 30, 1987). title: Mannerism: Italian, French, and Netherlandish Prints, 1520-1620 opening date: 1997-08-03T00:00:00 Mannerism: Italian, French, and Netherlandish Prints, 1520-1620. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (August 3-October 26, 1997). title: Love Gardens / Forbidden Fruit opening date: 2023-07-02T04:00:00 Love Gardens / Forbidden Fruit. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 2-October 29, 2023). --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS * Cleveland, Ohio: The Cleveland Museum of Art; 8/3/97 - 10/26/97. "Mannerism: Italian, French, and Netherlandish Prints, 1520-1620." * Main Gallery Rotation (gallery 117): June 3, 2013 - October 7, 2013. --- PROVENANCE Earl Spencer (1708-1746), Althorp, stamp (Lugt Supp. 2341a), lower left, in blue date: footnotes: citations: with Artemis Fine Arts, Ltd., London date: 1985 footnotes: citations: --- fun fact: digital description: This engraving presents a complex allegory whose complete meaning remains unclear, although the plaques at the feet of the man and woman may provide one clue. The inscriptions come from the sixth book of Virgil’s Aeneid: "He who sits unfortunate will sit forever," and "Do not yield to adversities, but go out to meet them bravely." The print’s details do not correspond directly to any episode from Virgil, although book six, in which Aeneas descends into the underworld, is an allegory of human life. A similar theme could be suggested here, communicating an essentially hopeful message of overcoming tribulation. wall description: Two figures appear here in contrasting landscapes. On the left, an old man stands at the edge of a turbulent body of water before dense woods and jagged peaks enveloped in rainy darkness. A ship has wrecked, and a variety of sea creatures and other real and mythical beasts turn their attention toward him. He reaches out to the voluptuous, crowned woman on the right, who strides forward from a verdant grove. Three putti fly above her, one of whom prepares to shoot an arrow at the old man. In the distance the rising sun illuminates a small village. The complete meaning of this complex allegory remains unclear, though the plaques at the feet of the man and woman may provide an important clue. The Latin inscriptions come from the sixth book of Virgil's epic poem The Aeneid (29–19 BC): "He who sits unfortunate will sit forever," and "Do not yield to adversities, but go out to meet them bravely." The print's details do not correspond directly to any episode from Virgil, but book six, in which Aeneas descends into the underworld, is an allegory of human life. A similar theme could be suggested here, communicating an essentially hopeful message of overcoming misfortune. --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS --- IMAGES web: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1985.37/1985.37_web.jpg print: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1985.37/1985.37_print.jpg full: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1985.37/1985.37_full.tif