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The Temptation of the Idler (The Dream of the Doctor)

A work made of engraving in black on ivory laid paper.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of engraving in black on ivory laid paper.

Date:

c. 1498

Artist:

Albrecht Dürer
German, 1471-1528

About this artwork

The German proverb “Idleness is the Devil’s pillow” is the subject of this print. While the doctor is asleep at the stove, the devil blows wicked ideas in his ear, which take the form of a naked woman.
Born in Nuremberg, the print center of Europe, Albrecht Dürer sought out the work of master engravers to deepen his knowledge, including Martin Schongauer and the Master of the Housebook, whose prints are displayed nearby (1938.1825 and 1958.299). In this work, Dürer surpasses his predecessors in his acute ability to render distinct surface textures of wood, cloth, and flesh. The off-axis contrapposto position of the nude echoes the Italianate figures Dürer studied in his 1494 trip to Venice.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Albrecht Dürer

Title

The Temptation of the Idler (The Dream of the Doctor)

Place

Germany (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1493–1503

Medium

Engraving in black on ivory laid paper

Dimensions

18.8 × 11.9 cm (7 7/16 × 4 11/16 in.)

Credit Line

Clarence Buckingham Collection

Reference Number

1941.1045

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/43233/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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