The Dream of the Doctor

Resting on soft cushions by a stove, a man has fallen asleep, whilst a devil or demon blows sinful thoughts into his ear. In his lustful dreams, Venus herself tempts him while little Amor tries to walk on stilts and has cast aside a toy ball. The moral lessons are obvious; sloth leads to lust, and love is fickle. The so-called Dream of the Doctor is a secular version of the Fall of Man, complete with the apple resting on the stove, and Venus is closely related to Eve in the famous engraving of Adam and Eve (see lot 16). There is a charm and light-heartedness about this print which does not quite seem to support the moral rigour of its message. The little putto is one of the most delightful figures Dürer's printed oeuvre.