The Power of Women
Maker
(artist)
1544-1618
(engraver)
1539-1618
(publisher)
born ca. 1526-1528, died before 1584 (Life dates)
1544-1618
(engraver)
1539-1618
(publisher)
born ca. 1526-1528, died before 1584 (Life dates)
Title
The Power of Women
Date of Production
1579
Dimensions
Height: 23.9 cm
Width: 27.5 cm
Width: 27.5 cm
Accession Number
G.1990.WL.1068
Mode of Acquisition
Witt Library, transfer, 1990
Credit
The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)
Copyright
Work in the public domain
Location
Not currently on display
Keywords
Related Works
Label Text
The apocryphal biblical book of Esdras recounts how three bodyguards of the Persian king Darius discussed who or what had the strongest force in the world. Wine, Kings or Women were given as options, but eventually Truth was declared to be the most powerful.
Francken’s representation of The Power of Women was the third design to be engraved by the printmaker Johannes Wierix for a related print series depicting the Four Powers. Although the drawing is fully incised, it was not directly transferred onto the printing plate as both compositions appear in the same direction. Instead, an intermediate drawing, by either the draughtsman or the printmaker, would have been used.
Francken’s representation of The Power of Women was the third design to be engraved by the printmaker Johannes Wierix for a related print series depicting the Four Powers. Although the drawing is fully incised, it was not directly transferred onto the printing plate as both compositions appear in the same direction. Instead, an intermediate drawing, by either the draughtsman or the printmaker, would have been used.
Notes
Plate 3 of 4 in the series The Four Powers (Hollstein Dutch 1835).
Provenance
Information not yet known or updated
Exhibition History
Drawings Gallery Display - Traces: Renaissance Drawings for Flemish Prints, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 18/06/2022-25/09/2022
Inscriptions
Inscription: recto, lower left, within image : 3
Inscription: recto, lower margin : VINA TAMEN REGEMQVE EXCELLIT FOEMINA, REGIS / PROGENITRIX, HOMINUMQUE MARIS TERRAEQUE POTENTU / ILLIUS INDOMITO PRUDENTIA CEDIT A MORI. / VIVIDAQUE ABSISTIT VIRTUS: ILLA ASPICE FLENTES / FLENTE VIROS, LAETANTE HILARES, PELLENTE TIMOREM / IMPAVIDOS. ERGO SUBDIT SIBI FOEMINA REGEM. //
Inscription: recto, lower margin : VINA TAMEN REGEMQVE EXCELLIT FOEMINA, REGIS / PROGENITRIX, HOMINUMQUE MARIS TERRAEQUE POTENTU / ILLIUS INDOMITO PRUDENTIA CEDIT A MORI. / VIVIDAQUE ABSISTIT VIRTUS: ILLA ASPICE FLENTES / FLENTE VIROS, LAETANTE HILARES, PELLENTE TIMOREM / IMPAVIDOS. ERGO SUBDIT SIBI FOEMINA REGEM. //
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