An allegory of poverty

Details

Attributed to Peter Stöcklin (Basel 1575-1652)
An allegory of poverty
signed with initials ‘PS’ and inscribed ‘ARMUT NID GITH’ (recto) and with indistinct inscription 'Güu[...?]' (verso)
pen and black ink, grey wash heightened with white (partly oxidized) on pink prepared paper
7 7/8 x 6 in. (20.2 x 15.3 cm.)

Provenance

B. Himmelheber (L. 4035), and by descent to the present owner.

Special notice

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Lot Essay

The subject is taken from Andrea Alciato’s (1492-1555) Emblematum libellus, illustrated with woodcuts by Virgil Solis (1514-1562) and published in Augsburg in 1531. The title for the woodcut reads, loosely translated, ‘one hand is dragged down by a stone, the other is lightly borne up to the sky, the wings lift me up, the stone presses me down to the ground; this teaches me about the first arts; poverty prevents many a good head from advancing in life’. The inscription ‘PS’ seems to be by the artist, and it might be the initials of Peter Stöcklin. A group of 29 drawings by the artist designed for stained-glass paintings is in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.

We are grateful to Dr. Hasler and Heinrich Landolt for their assistance in cataloguing this drawing.

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