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Master Allaert Claesz

The Naked Woman and the Dragon

1553
Engraving in black on cream laid paper
23.1 × 23.1 cm (9.1 × 9.1 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

This enigmatic subject has never fully been explained. Unlike the princess in the Saint George roundel by Martin Schongauer (1956.887) on view in gallery 202a, this regal woman wards off the dragon with her scepter. In the vignette above, a stunned female entourage watches as she flies away on the beast’s back. The work’s large scale and perspectival background scene suggest it was intended as a design for a stained-glass window.

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St. George on Horseback, Killing the DragonSt. George on Horseback, Killing the DragonAllegory with a Woman in Roman Dress on a Triumphal ChariotAllegory with a Woman in Roman Dress on a Triumphal Chariot

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