Dangers and Vices Accompanying Wealth
Medium
engraving on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 18.1 x 24 cm (7 1/8 x 9 7/16 in.) sheet: 27 x 36.5 cm (10 5/8 x 14 3/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of the Estate of Leo Steinberg
Accession Number
2011.139.90
Art Historical Context
This engraving from 1563 captures a timeless moral warning about the pitfalls of prosperity. Designed by the Dutch Renaissance artist Maerten van Heemskerck and expertly engraved by Philip Galle, the print belongs to a tradition of allegorical series that flourished in Northern Europe during the Reformation. It vividly illustrates how wealth can invite corruption, excess, and spiritual peril, reflecting humanist concerns with virtue amid growing mercantile wealth in the Netherlands. The medium of engraving on laid paper was ideal for spreading such messages widely. Unlike paintings, prints co...