Fortitude before 1540

"Fortitude", a terracotta relief by Peter Flötner, depicts a woman standing in a landscape with broken columns. She is draped in a cloak, and her right hand rests on a column where a snake coils around its base. This piece, dating back to before 1540, is an example of Flötner's mastery of the terracotta medium and his interest in classical mythology and allegory, where fortitude is embodied through the woman’s strength and composure in the face of hardship. This small-scale work, measuring only 7.9 x 5.5 cm, showcases intricate detail in the woman's figure and the surrounding landscape.