Jupiter, Pluto and Neptune Offering their Riches to Fortune 1624

Pierre Brebiette created this engraving, "Jupiter, Pluto and Neptune Offering their Riches to Fortune," likely in the 17th century, a time of immense social stratification and the consolidation of power in monarchies. Here, we see a visual representation of the world's resources being offered to Fortune, a female personification, who stands blindfolded, holding a cornucopia, a symbol of abundance. Her blindness suggests that fortune is indiscriminate and unbiased, yet her acceptance of offerings from powerful male gods reinforces the era's social hierarchies. Jupiter, the god of the sky, Pluto, the god of the underworld, and Neptune, the god of the sea, represent the vast array of earthly riches being brought to Fortune. In many ways the piece reinforces the idea that wealth and power were divinely ordained, while it simultaneously hints at the anxiety surrounding the capricious nature of fortune. Brebiette captures a pivotal moment in history, inviting us to reflect on the relationships between power, wealth, and fate.