Nemesis (The Great Fortune) by Albrecht Dürer, dating from 1501-1502, stands as a seminal example of the technical and intellectual ambition of the early German Renaissance. Executed as an engraving on laid paper, this work showcases Dürer’s unparalleled ability to render complex forms and textures using the demanding burin technique, a hallmark of printmaking during the period 1501 to 1550.
The subject matter depicts the classical goddess Nemesis, the dispenser of fortune and retribution, poised precariously above a small Alpine village. Dürer’s interpretation draws heavily on mythological and literary sources, notably the description of Fortune by the fifteenth-century humanist Angelo Poliziano, who described the deity as floating on a sphere. In this work, the nude figure is depicted with powerful musculature, holding a bridle in her right hand representing restraint, and a chalice or measuring cup in her left, symbolizing the balanced distribution of fate. The figure's dramatic pose, combined with the detailed landscape below, establishes the scale and tension of the composition.
Dürer’s masterful control of line and tone elevates this print beyond mere illustration; it functions as a profound meditation on human destiny and divine judgment. As one of the most intellectually rigorous compositions created by the artist, Nemesis (The Great Fortune) cemented his reputation throughout Europe as the leading German graphic artist of his era. This key piece, which is widely studied today and often reproduced as public domain material, forms part of the distinguished collection of prints housed at the National Gallery of Art.
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