Description
In this image, a couple embraces in
a garden. The man’s dress indicates that he
is a German mercenary, who were chastised
for loose morals in many prints of the period.
The twiglike laurel wreath on his head is a
mocking emblem of victory in love and war.
His partner meets his gaze and guides his
hands, wearing long hair, an open bodice,
and a hitched-up skirt suggesting sexual
availability. Resonating with Edenic and love
garden images, the subject likely operated on
the edge of decency for its audience.
Provenance
(William H. Schab Gallery, New York, NY), sold to The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (?–1971); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (December 11, 1971–)
Accession Number
1971.246
Medium
etching
Dimensions
Image: 22 x 15.6 cm (8 11/16 x 6 1/8 in.); Sheet: 24.1 x 17.5 cm (9 1/2 x 6 7/8 in.)
Classification
Credit Line
Dudley P. Allen Fund