Allegory of Africa, from "The Four Continents"

Creator Name

Johann Justin Preissler

Cultural Context

German; African

Date

Creation: 18th century

Source

Metropolitan Museum of Art

About the Work

Metropolitan Museum of Art Object Description

Work details

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Title

Allegory of Africa, from "The Four Continents"

Allegory of Africa, from the Four Continents

Creator

Johann Justin Preissler (link to bio)

Johann Justin Preissler, German, 1698–1771, Artist;
after Edme Bouchardon, Artist;
Georg Martin Preissler, Publisher

Worktype

Prints

Cultural Context

German; African

Material

Substrate: Paper

Engraving

Dimensions

Sheet (trimmed): 11 1/8 × 12 15/16 in. (28.2 × 32.8 cm);
height: 28.2centimetre;
width: 32.8centimetre

Technique

Engraving process

Language

Latin

Date

Creation: 18th century

1732

Provenance

Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1953

Style Period

Rights

Public Domain

Inscription

Text: Lettered in plate, within image, lower left: AFRICA; within image, lower left corner: J.J. Preisser. Pictor. Nor. F.; lower left corner: E. Bouchardon inv. et del.; below image, lower right corner: G. M. Preisser exc.; below image, lower left corner: Cum Priv. Sacr. Cacs. Mai.

Location

Source

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Subjects

Descriptive Topic: Allegory, Animal, Arachnid, Scorpion, Breast, People, Woman, Plants, Elephant

Female Nudes; Snakes; Lions

Topic

Curationist Contributors

Jessica Gengler

Related Content

Part of: In the Shape of an African

All Works in Curationist’s archives can be reproduced and used freely. How to attribute this Work:

Johann Justin Preissler, Allegory of Africa, from "The Four Continents", 1732. Metropolitan Museum of Art. This allegorical depiction of Africa uses symbolic figures and baroque imagery, capturing European views of the continent during the era. Public Domain.

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