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Allegory of Death and Fame, 1518. Creator: Agostino Musi (Italian, 1490-1540)
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Allegory of Death and Fame, 1518. Creator: Agostino Musi (Italian, 1490-1540)
Allegory of Death and Fame, 1518. The opposite of the beautiful temptress, the hag embodied the nature of witchcraft. Old and hideous, the hag was associated with Invidia, the personification of Envy, because of her jealousy of youth and fertility. Agostino Veneziano provided designs for several widely disseminated prints of demonic imagery and witchcraft. In the Allegory of Death and Fame, Invidia is the skeletal creature peering over the right shoulder of winged Death. Her representation heavily influenced 17th-century artists representations of hags. The stereotypical elderly witch with exposed, sagging breasts and sunken features is derived from the sinking, skeletal figures of Venezianos frieze-like compositions
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EDITORS COMMENTS
The print titled "Allegory of Death and Fame, 1518" captures the essence of Agostino Musi's artistic brilliance. This masterpiece, created by the Italian artist in the 16th century, delves into the realms of witchcraft and demonic imagery. At first glance, one's attention is drawn to a winged figure representing Death. However, it is the skeletal creature peering over Death's right shoulder that truly captivates our imagination. This grotesque being embodies Invidia, personifying Envy itself. With her old and hideous appearance, she symbolizes jealousy towards youth and fertility. Agostino Veneziano played a significant role in shaping this representation of Invidia as he provided designs for widely disseminated prints featuring demonic themes and witchcraft. His influence can be seen in later depictions of hags by 17th-century artists. In this particular artwork, Invidia's features are hauntingly sunken with sagging breasts exposed. The sinking figures from Veneziano's frieze-like compositions inspired these elements. This print not only showcases Musi's exceptional talent but also serves as a testament to how art evolves through time with influences from other great artists like Agostino Veneziano. It allows us to delve into an era where symbolism reigned supreme and explore the depths of human emotions such as envy and mortality.
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