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Wikimedia Commons · Public domain · Hover to magnify, click for fullscreen
Original fileThe creature is shown in profile with bat-like wings, a long scaly neck, and a curled, segmented tail. Its head is turned back toward its body with an open mouth and sharp teeth, rendered with meticulous hatching. Two handwritten inscriptions appear above and beside the dragon's back.
The dragon is a foundational symbol in the Western esoteric tradition, often representing the volatile 'materia prima' in alchemy or the 'old serpent' of the Apocalypse. The inscriptions on this specific print suggest a later emblematic or satirical use, personifying the 'French disease' (syphilis) as a monstrous beast.
Syphilisvogel Swartcomber
Albrecht Dürer
This print is based on Dürer's famous 1521 pen-and-ink study of a winged dragon.
The Apocalypse of St. John
Dürer's dragon imagery was heavily influenced by his work on the Apocalypse series, where the dragon represents the forces of chaos.
Object
Engraving
mythological
Digital Source
Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
ARTstor Collection http://www.frick.org
Public domain
1003 × 552 px
10e55c17f711223219ae16f697c7301aaff4db1a
November 14, 2011
March 24, 2026
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3-flash-preview on April 1, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.