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Notes
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The depiction of a human figure personifying an abstract concept such as youth or beauty is called an allegory. The young woman in this painting is an allegory of fortune and the monkey, who appears to be selecting playing cards, symbolises chance. The association of fortune with man’s ability to shape his destiny by swift, decisive action was a popular concept during the Renaissance. It derived from the classical idea of fortune being an unpredictable force which must be seized to ensure success. Born in Florence, Lippi was a pupil of Matteo Rosselli from whom he learnt the fine, searching drawing skills of the Florentine workshop tradition. During the 1630s Lippi drew increasingly from nature, a skill described by his biographer Balducci as ‘his pure imitation of reality’.
Title
Allegory of Fortune
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
H 76.2 x W 63.2 cm
Accession number
BELUM.U36
Acquisition method
purchased, 1963
Work type
Painting
