Mars and Venus with Cupid, Venus holding a statuette of Mercury

Details

Adam Gutmann (Salzburg, active 1612-1637)
Mars and Venus with Cupid, Venus holding a statuette of Mercury
inscribed 'Nichts ist so steiff auff disser Erd. das nichtt duruchs geltt gewunnen wertt. auchs geltt demmensch offen mals bethrueglich bringt umb seinen halls. Adi 20 Jully gab ich Adam guottman. Malher von Costantz dißs dem guotten geselhen zuor guotten gedächtnus gemacht geschehen zuo Saltzbuorg in Ao 1598'
(Nothing in this world is so fixed that it cannot be bought for money. However, be aware that money can often be deceitful to men and can cost you your life. In rememberance of me, Adam Gutman, painter from Constanz I did this on 20 July in Salzburg in 1598, for my fine apprentice.)
black chalk, pen and grey ink, brown and pink wash
8 x 6 in. (203 x 151 mm.); with a fragmentary drawing of Adonis by a later hand attached to the backing

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Lot Essay

Dr Tilman Falk has confirmed the attribution to Adam Gutman on the basis of a photograph in a communication dated 3 May 2006. Dr Falk suggests that the present drawing was probably made for an album amicorum or stammbuch, a practice particularly popular in Germany in the middle of the 17th Century in which individuals or families collected illustrations and dedicated sheets from friends and important personalities. Today these albums are of great interest as historical documents, particularly for the biographical information they reveal on the artists since they record the author, addressee, date and location of the drawing. We are grateful for the kind assistance of Dr Falk and Dr Lorenz Selig in preparing this note.

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