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Overview
Heinrich Aldegrever was one of the so-called 'Little Masters', a group of German artists making small prints in the generation after Albrecht Dürer, who included Hans Baldung Grien, the Beham brothers and Georg Pencz. The close resemblance of his work to that of Dürer led to Aldegrever being called the 'Albert of Westphalia', although his style went on to depart from his mentor's intricate line work to stress the optical effects of light and shadow. He became a Lutheran convert in 1531, but continued to depict religious themes, while his ornamental engravings were used as models by artists and craftsmen well into the 17th century. His images of virtues and vices were so popular that Aldegrever made cycles of both in 1549 (not yet represented in the collection) and, here, 1552. Te Papa owns the complete cycle, all acquired in 1978. These complement several Aldegrever prints in the foundation art collection, presented to the Colonial Museum, forerunner of Te Papa, in 1869 by Bishop Ditlev Monrad.
Aldegrever's engraving is packed with symbolism and its meaning is unequivocal. Pride or Superbia was the first and commonly regarded as foremost of the Vices or Deadly Sins. It was the 'beginning of all sin', due to its root in self-love. From this, the six other sins could ensue. The inscription at the base confirms this, translating as 'The abominable, vicious Superbia, mother and fount of all kinds of evil'. She is correspondingly also the most triumphant, sitting astride a handsome rearing horse, a traditional symbol of pride. Even the greatest equestrian couldn't hold a heavy banner and sword side-saddle on a rearing horse; the expression 'pride comes before a fall' is entirely appropriate here. Tellingly, Superbia proudly wears a papal tiara, and a heavy chain that would put that of Raphael's Leo X to shame: a reflection of the artist's zealous anti-Popery. A proud peacock perches on the escutcheon, bearing a lion rampart, and as if this weren't enough, Superbia and her steed are accompanied by a somewhat mincing lion! Collectively, lions are known as a 'pride'. The standard depicts an eagle which could symbolise perspicacity, courage, strength and immortality, but also had its downside in pride.
See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Aldegrever
Dr Mark Stocker, Curator Historical International Art December 2016