The print’s central subject is an enigmatic and gloomy winged female
figure thought to be a personification of melancholia. Holding her head
in her hand, she stares past the busy scene in front of her. The area is
strewn with symbols and tools associated with craft and carpentry,
including an hourglass, weighing scales, a hand plane and a saw.
Other objects relate to alchemy,
geometry or numerology. Behind the figure is a structure with an
embedded magic square, and a ladder leading beyond the frame. The sky
contains a rainbow, a comet or planet, and a bat-like creature bearing
the text that has become the print’s title.
Symbolism of Melencolia I by Albrecht Dürer
Decoding art: Dürer’s Melencolia I
This famous image is packed with meaning. Find out what each of these
objects symbolizes, and how they relate to the overall theme of
melancholy.
Special thanks to the Minneapolis Institute of Art
Albrecht Dürer, Melencolia I, 1514, engraving (Minneapolis Institute of Art)
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