Minneapolis Institute of Art
Die Hexe - Witch Riding on a Goat
Albrecht DürerLinkedCulture matchlcp-840f7214ff34
- Date
- c. 1500
- Medium
- Engraving
- Department
- European Art
- Institution
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
- Object ID
- 120314
Albrecht Dürer eventually brought a scientific and mathematical mindset to his art, but early in his career, dark and mysterious forces often stoked his imagination. In this engraving, a witch rides backwards on a flying goat, while putti cavort below. One of these capricious baby angels struggles to retain control of the unstable sphere of fate, which can roll in unpredictable directions. Another precariously supports a potted topiary plant, perhaps a symbol of man’s attempts to tame nature. Dürer signed his monogram backwards, confirmation that witchcraft has pushed the world off-kilter. Germany, Europe
The authoritative record is held by Minneapolis Institute of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.
Get printable QR codesHide QR codes
Open QR codes for this object page and the museum record. They stay collapsed until needed.
Provenance & credit
As published by the source institution. Coverage varies — not every institution's open-data feed includes ownership history.
- Credit line
- Gift of Marla J. Kinney in honor of Tyler John Kelley and Hanlon Elizabeth Kelley
Related across collections
Semantically similar works from Minneapolis Institute of Art and other institutions.