Temperance (Die Mesikait), from The Seven Virtues
Medium
Woodcut; third state of three (Hollstein)
Dimensions
Sheet: 6 13/16 × 3 1/4 in. (17.3 × 8.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Henry Walters, by exchange, 1931
Accession Number
31.31.8
Tags
Art Historical Context
Hans Burgkmair the Elder (1473–1531), a leading figure in the German Renaissance and a master of Augsburg printmaking, created *Temperance (Die Mesait)* as part of his series *The Seven Virt*. This woodcut embodies the Christian moral ideal of temperance—moderation in all things—depicting a virtuous woman, a common allegorical motif in Northern European art. Produced around the early 16th century it reflects the era's fascination with didactic imagery, blending religious instruction with artistic innovation amid the spread of humanism and the Reformation. Printed in the third state of three (...
About the Artist
Hans Burgkmair · 1473–1531
Hans Burgkmair the Elder (1473–1531) was a German painter and printmaker who became one of the leading artists of the Renaissance in Augsburg. Born into a family of painters — his father, Thoman Burgkmair, was a respected artist — he likely received his initial training in his father's workshop. He may also have studied with Martin Schongauer in Colmar, and a probable visit to Italy around 1507 ex...