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Allegory of Faith

Maker

Johann or Hans Kellerthaler, II (artist)
1560-1611

Title

Allegory of Faith

Date of Production

(4 September) 1609

Medium

graphite, red chalk, pen and brown ink, grey-green wash on laid paper

Dimensions

Height: 15.1 cm
Width: 18.5 cm

Accession Number

D.1952.RW.4174

Mode of Acquisition

Robert Clermont Witt, bequest, 1952

Credit

The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)

Copyright

Work in the public domain

Location

Not currently on display

Keywords

Label Text

This finished drawing, signed by the Dresden painter and goldsmith Johan Kellerthaler, is typical of Protestant allegories of the period. An inscription explains its meaning: “Life vanishes like the smoke in the wind”. Death is omnipresent, as represented by the Reaper peering from behind the tree, the hourglass, and the skull beneath the sleeping child. The only escape from eternal death is faith in Christ, shown holding the cross entwined with a snake to represent his vanquishing of earthly sin.

Provenance

J.H.J. Mellaert (London); purchased there by Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), n.d. (£10); Witt Bequest 1952

Exhibition History

Special Display - German drawings, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 21/06/2007-23/09/2007

Inscriptions

Watermark: Watermark: none.

Collector's mark: none.

Inscription: Recto: lower right, brown in, artist’s hand: “das leben ferschwint / wie der rauch im wint //”; lower centre edge, brown ink, dated by the artist: “Johann Kellerthaler goltschmit und / maler geschen den 4 September i609 in Dreseen //”. Verso: lower right corner, graphite: “#10”.

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