Nemesis (The Great Fortune)
| Artist | Albrecht Dürer (German, May 21, 1471–April 6, 1528) |
|---|---|
| Title | Nemesis (The Great Fortune) (Nemesis (Das große Glück)) |
| Date | Ca. 1501 |
| Medium | Engraving on paper |
| Dimensions | Image: 13 × 9 1/16 in. (33 × 23 cm) Sheet: 13 × 9 1/16 in. (33 × 23 cm) |
| Credit Line | Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 75.60.6 |
| This artwork is currently off display. You may be able to see this artwork by filling out an art viewing room request. | |
A roiling curtain of cloud accompanies the winged figure of Nemesis as she glides over the tidy Alpine rooftops of Klausen. Visual models for this ancient goddess of fortune were scarce, prompting Dürer to consult a late medieval poem by Florentine Angelo Poliziano for inspiration. There, Nemesis is described wielding bridle and goblet while f loating aloft upon an orb. Dürer was one of the first artists to make systematic study of the female nude, even designing a proportional system specific to a woman’s body. Nemesis exudes a regal, imposing stature, the result of early experimentation with canons of proportion. Her body is also modeled on common northern topoi signifying fertility, including her wide hips and distinctly pear-shaped torso. As a figure, she is neither idealized nor naturalistic.
| Publisher | Albrecht Dürer (German, May 21, 1471–April 6, 1528) |
|---|
Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.
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"Nemesis (The Great Fortune) | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=75.60.6