An old man discourses with a woman with a bird on her head; representing dialectic. Engraving by C. Cort, 1565, after F. Floris, c. 1557.

  • Floris, Frans, 1519 or 1520-1570.
Date:
1565
Reference:
25651i
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Description

Two toads can be seen in the foreground. Another bird rests on the wicker chair. An eel (or a snake with fins) entwines itself around the woman's right arm. Some of the books have locks

Publication/Creation

Antwerp : Theodore Galle

Physical description

1 print : line engraving

Lettering

Uti hominem ratione docet dialectica quare merito artium apicem magnus hanc Plato vocat. Franc. Florus pinxit in suburbano Nicolai Iongelinc prope urbem Anverpiā Lettering on wall behind female figure: "Dialectica". On books on floor: "Gorgias", "Lucianus", "Zenon", "Aristoeles", "Libanius"

References note

For further information, see: C. van de Velde, 'Frans Floris (1519/20-1570). Leven en werken' (Brussels: Paleis de Academien, 1975), vol. I, pp. 426-8

Reference

Wellcome Collection 25651i

Notes

One of a series of personifications of the Seven Liberal Arts painted by Floris for Nicolaas Jongelinck, c. 1557. Floris's painting of 'Arithmetic' came to light in 1995, being offered for sale at Christie's, New York on 11 January 1995, lot 23. Previously the series had only been known through Cort's 1565 set of engravings

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