De misantroop wordt bestolen door de wereld 1566 - 1570

This is "The Misanthrope Robbed by the World," an engraving made around 1600 by Wierix. Immediately striking is the circular composition, which constrains and concentrates the scene into a symbolic arena. Notice how Wierix uses contrasting forms to express the themes. On the left, a cloaked figure stands tall and immobile like a column, representing the withdrawn misanthrope. To the right, a figure trapped inside a sphere is in frantic motion, symbolic of humanity entangled and self-imprisoned by earthly concerns. The figures are meticulously detailed, but the setting is sparse, reducing the landscape to a stage. Text encircles the image, framing the visual narrative with didactic commentary, typical of moralizing prints of the time. The stark lines and graphic clarity underscore a world rigidly divided between retreat and entanglement.