A Shield is of no Use when Fortune Turns Her Back from Six Sayings about Fortune by Dirck Volckertsz Coornhert

A Shield is of no Use when Fortune Turns Her Back from Six Sayings about Fortune 1555 - 1565

drawing, print

pencil drawn

drawing

toned paper

light pencil work

print

pencil sketch

charcoal drawing

charcoal art

female-nude

pencil drawing

pen-ink sketch

men

pencil work

pencil art

male-nude

"A Shield is of no Use When Fortune Turns Her Back" from the series *Six Sayings about Fortune* is an engraving by Dutch artist Dirck Volckertsz Coornhert. Created between 1555 and 1565, the print depicts a scene of a soldier in armor, armed with a shield and spear, being pushed away by a figure representing Fortune. This powerful image, reminiscent of Renaissance allegories, speaks to the capricious nature of fate and the futility of human attempts to control it. The engraving is a testament to Coornhert's talent for conveying complex ideas through striking imagery, and it continues to resonate with viewers today.