Allegorische voorstelling 1610 - 1643

Fabio della Cornia made this allegorical print, whose exact date is unknown, using engraving. Here, we have an embodiment of an abstract idea rendered in visual form. This was common in the 17th century, particularly in the service of rulers keen to associate themselves with virtues like justice, prudence or, in this case, perhaps clemency. An idealized woman sits holding what looks like a blank book or open writing tablet, her face betraying no emotion. She may represent truth or wisdom. It's interesting to see what other clues the image gives us. A soldier offers up a tray of coins. What transaction is taking place? What is the relationship between wealth and justice? The historian can look to a range of resources: popular emblems, books of mythology, and descriptions of courtly ceremony, to get a better grasp of the cultural context. Only then can we start to reflect on the complex meaning of an artwork like this.