The poor common donkey

Unknown artist

The woodcut “Der arm gemein Esel”, which was mostly attributed to Peter Flötner, was edited in 1525 by Hans Guldenmund in Nuremberg with verses by Hans Sachs (1494-1576) (cf. Schoch II.528). The allegorical representation in landscape format shows six figures in action. On the right, a harmed man, called a “tyran,” sits on a donkey and holds an arrow in his right hand. Behind him is a winged man (“Geitz”) sitting on the animal and painting it with the knife. Under the donkey and the name “Gleißnerey,” another wing creature falls down ungently. According to Heller, “The poor common donkey” represents the people. Facing the group of figures are three winged women’s figures, called “Reason,” “Justice” and “Word of God,” with their respective attributes in their hands. Like Adam von Bartsch (1757-1821) before him, Heller included the sheet under the heading “Doubtful Leaves” in his Dürer publication of 1827, but did not attribute it to the artist. The Bamberg collector also pointed out that there are various states, including the “new ones, which are in the v. Derschauische Der” and contain a text change in the titling element “Der arm gemein Esel.” (Cf. Heller Dürer 1827 II.785,2061) With Hans Albrecht von Derschau (1755-1824) Heller was in real correspondence (cf. JH.Comm.lighted. 4 and 5 of the State Library Bamberg).