Related external works: Part

Albrecht Dürer: Pfeifer und Trommler rechte Flügelinnenseite des sog. "Jabach-Altars"), um 1505, Mischtechnik auf Lindenholz, 94 x 51 cm, Inv.-Nr. WRM 0369, Sammlung Ferdinand Franz Wallraf, Wallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud, Köln

Albrecht Dürer: Hll. Joseph und Joachim (linke Flügelaußenseite des sog. "Jabach-Altars"), um 1505, Mischtechnik auf Lindenholz, 96,6 x 54,5 cm, Inv.-Nr. WAF 228, Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Alte Pinakothek, München

Albrecht Dürer: Hll. Simeon und Lazarus (rechte Flügelaußenseite des sog. "Jabach-Altars"), um 1505, Mischtechnik auf Lindenholz, 97 x 55,1 cm, Inv.-Nr. WAF 229, Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Alte Pinakothek, München

Job on the Dungheap, ca. 1505

Dimensions: 96.0 x 51.5 x min. 0.4 cm
height (sides): 79.1 cm
maximum depth: 0.4 cm

Physical Description: Mixed technique on lime wood

Inventory Number: 890

Acquisition: Acquired in 1840

Status: On display, 2nd upper level, Old Masters, room 2

Texts

About the Work

Along with the depiction of two musicians (Cologne, Wallraf-Richartz-Museum) this panel – later trimmed at the top – once formed the exterior of an altar retable. Job is an Old Testament figure who is repeatedly smitten with bad luck and tested by God. Here, he endures his trials on a dung heap, accompanied by his wife and friends. The latter attempt to cheer him up with music, while his spouse administers a jet of water to her sick husband in what may be an allusion to the ‘Bath of Job’ chapel in Annaberg, Saxony, presumably the painting’s original location.

Work Data

Basic Information

Title: Job on the Dungheap

Painter

Albrecht Dürer

Period Produced

16th century

School

Renaissance

Object Type

painting (artwork)

Physical Description: Mixed technique on lime wood

Material

limewood

Technique

mixed technique

Property and Acquisition

Institution

Städel Museum

Administration

Old Masters 1300 - 1800

Collection

Städelsches Kunstinstitut

Creditline: Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main

Picture Copyright: Public Domain

Acquisition: Acquired in 1840

Work Content

Motifs and References

Genre

Main Motif

Persons Shown

Associated Persons and Institutions

Illustrated Passage

Bibel, Altes Testament, Hiob 2,7-10

Iconclass

Primary

71W5312 Job's wife pouring a bucket of water over him

Secondary

31A25311(+55) 'caput manui innixum', head held in the hand(s) (+ sitting on the ground)
41D211 dress, gown
41B4 on fire, ablaze
47G9 demolition of building
41A9 ruin of a dwelling, house, castle, etc.
25H114 low hill country
25H11 mountains
25H213 river