Melancholia I

Albrecht Dürer's engraving Melancholia I (originally known by Dürer as Melencolia I) is notable for being an allegorical depiction of the main symptoms of melancholy, now better known as depression.

Related Topics:
Albrecht Dürer - Engraving - Allegorical - Melancholy - Depression

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Allusions and imagery used by Dürer in Melancholia I:

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• The numbers in the grid at top right form a 4 × 4 magic square, with the two middle cells of the bottom row giving the date of the engraving: 1514.
• the significance of the truncated cube has been the subject of numerous articles
• the hourglass shows time running out
• The despondent winged figure of genius
• The tools of geometry and architecture surround her, unused
• The purse and keys
• The comet and rainbow in the sky
• etc.

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Melancholia I: External links ►