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Terminus, the Device of Erasmus
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In the spirit of the Italian Renaissance, Erasmus of Rotterdam (c. 1466–1536), the celebrated Dutch humanist and scholar, embraced ancient Greek and Roman literature and incorporated much of its moral and ethical messages into his own work. Holbein here conflates Erasmus’s features with Terminus, the Roman god of boundaries, who defied Jupiter by maintaining his position atop Capitoline Hill. Erasmus adopted Terminus, along with the motto <em>concedo nulli </em>(I concede to no one), as a personal symbol for devotion and steadfastness.
| Artist / Maker | Hans Holbein the Younger |
|---|---|
| Date | c. 1532 |
| Culture / Origin | Germany |
| Medium | oil on wood |
| Dimensions | Framed: 32.4 x 32.4 x 4.5 cm (12 3/4 x 12 3/4 x 1 3/4 in.); Unframed: 21.6 x 21.6 cm (8 1/2 x 8 1/2 in.) |
| Department | European Painting and Sculpture |
| Type | Painting |
About the Artist
BiographyHans Holbein the Younger (1497–1543) — German artist and printmaker (1497–1543).Hans Holbein the Younger worked as painter, printmaker, graphic artist, illustrator and portraitist and is associated with Holy Roman Empire and Switzerland. Their documented life spans the years 1497 to 1543, born in Augsburg, died in London. Their work is linked to German Renaissance, Northern Renaissance.Disciplinespainter, printmaker, graphic artist, illustrator, portraitistBorn1497, AugsburgDied1543, LondonNationalityHoly Roman Empire, SwitzerlandMovementGerman Renaissance, Northern RenaissanceSources: Wikidata · Wikipedia Full biography →
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
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