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Cristofano Robetta

Allegory of Envy

c. 1505
Engraving on paper
23.3 × 18 cm (9.2 × 7.1 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

Flanked by younger couples entwined in erotic poses, an unaccompanied older woman appears to scowl. It is unclear whether the central figure, traditionally identified with envy, is the one experiencing the feeling or merely a visual symbol of it. Secular allegorical subjects were popular with Renaissance printmakers, especially in Italy. In this case, the Florentine engraver Cristofano Robetta copied German prints by Albrecht Dürer for the landscape in the background.

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