The image shows a man standing in a contrapposto pose, with his weight on the right leg and left leg slightly bent. His left arm is extended upwards with a bird perched on the back of his hand, and his right arm holds a strap wrapped around a large rock. The man has a bushy beard, curly hair, a neutral expression, and is looking up at his raised hand. He is wearing draped clothing over one shoulder and tied around his waist, revealing a muscular torso. There is a small tree stump and grass around his feet, with a plain background.
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The image shows a man standing in a contrapposto pose, with his weight on the right leg and left leg slightly bent. His left arm is extended upwards with a bird perched on the back of his hand, and his right arm holds a strap wrapped around a large rock. The man has a bushy beard, curly hair, a neutral expression, and is looking up at his raised hand. He is wearing draped clothing over one shoulder and tied around his waist, revealing a muscular torso. There is a small tree stump and grass around his feet, with a plain background.

National Gallery of Art · Drawing

Allegory of Poverty Hindering Wit

Cornelis Cort

Date
1565/1570
Medium
pen and brown ink on heavy laid paper
Dimensions
overall (approximate): 42.6 x 28.5 cm (16 3/4 x 11 1/4 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Accession number
1984.17.1
Credit line
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
Time span
1551 to 1600
Department
CG-E

Subjects and terms

  • Netherlandish
  • state of being
  • allegory
  • Poverty
  • Wit
Provenance

(Hewrbert Bier, London); acquired 1984 by the NGA.

Inscription

in later hand, across bottom verso in graphite: 8 / Renaissance /Gli manni [two illegible words] / Milan[ese?] / L .240 / [6?]4 18[4?] / NO.4252 X[??]Z / 11.

NGA object ID 63216. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.