Allegory of Lust, Wealth and Stupidity

Art Historical Context

Created in 1588 by Flemish engraver Raphael Sadeler (1560–1628), *Allegory of Lust, and Stupidity* is a striking engraving on ivory laid paper, measuring30.9 × 35.9 cm. Sadeler, part of a renowned family of printmakers active across Europe, specialized in intricate reproductive engravings that captured the Mannerist style of the late Northern Renaissance. This technique involved incising fine lines into a copper plate with a burin, inking it, and pressing it onto high-quality ivory laid paper—prized for its smooth texture and subtle chain lines that enhanced the image's clarity and depth. The...