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Jean de Gourmont

Lion, Dragon and Fox

1520/30
Engraving on ivory laid paper
11.3 × 15.8 cm (4.4 × 6.2 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Based on a lost drawing by Leonardo da Vinci, this oval allegory of battling mythical beasts was translated into several different engravings by Italian Renaissance artists as well as by Jean de Gourmont. The banner above the three animals reads “Ergo,” literally meaning “therefore,” a term whose broader significance within this setting is unknown. The print may be a civic political emblem of the lion of Venice attacking the Milan dragon, with an unaffiliated fox as onlooker.

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