Allegorie van de luiheid 1788

This is Christian Bernhard Rode’s etching "Allegory of Laziness," held at the Rijksmuseum. Made with delicate lines, the composition evokes a sense of stillness and stagnation. The etching presents a scene dominated by a donkey and a figure slumped upon it. Rode’s intricate lines define the forms, creating texture and depth. Notice the lines that sketch the man's posture, revealing a figure weighed down, not just by physical burdens but also by inertia. The donkey, rendered with equal attention, stands as a symbol of burden and perhaps stubbornness, its posture mirroring the man's dejection. The overall composition, with its muted tones and focus on burdened subjects, challenges the glorification of labor. Rode uses the graphic language of etching to transform a common scene into a meditation on moral and existential themes. It suggests that the true weight of laziness lies not just in physical inactivity but in the stagnation of the spirit, inviting us to reflect on the values we ascribe to work and rest.