Sold by T. Bakewell in Cornhill. [n.d., c.1745.]
Engraving Sheet: 185 x 255mm, (7¼ x 10"). Trimmed within plate. Laid on album sheet.
A mythological scene in which a withered, snake-haired woman spins a figure wretched figure around a large wheel while a fire blazes near them and two further crones look on. The three old women are reminiscent of the Fates from ancient mythology, though with their snakes for hair they also resemble the hideous gorgons. The Wheel of Fortune was a medieval and ancient concept demonstrating the capricious nature of Fate, the wheel being spun at random by the goddess Fortuna affecting the lives of those attached. The Wheel of Fortune was also a medieval form of torture, the victim would be tied to a large wheel while a large fire would be set close enough to burn anyone tied to the wheel. The wheel would then be turned like a spit slowly cooking the captive.
[Ref: 40328]  £130.00