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The Statue of Opportunity and the Passer-by [fol. 8 recto]

French early 16th Century

1514

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Architectural

Dominant colour

The Statue of Opportunity and the Passer-by [fol. 8 recto] is a 1514 ink by French early 16th Century, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: French early 16th Century
When & what style?: 1514 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This drawing shows a small, odd tower with two round windows and a flag on top. A winged figure stands above it, holding a mirror in one hand and a globe in the other. Below, two men look up: one leans on a stick, the other points toward the tower. The whole scene is drawn in brown ink with faint watercolor shading. The tower looks like a mix of real buildings and fantasy—maybe a joke or a lesson. The text around it is in Latin, which was common for puzzles or moral stories back then. If you like this kind of quirky art, check out the Renaissance movement next.