La fourberie 17th century

This drawing presents a classical figure draped in robes, holding a mask, with a fox at her feet. The inscription, “La fourberie”, indicates that this is an allegorical representation of deceit. The mask, an ancient symbol, suggests the duplicity and hidden intentions inherent in trickery. The fox, a motif that goes back to Aesop's fables, reinforces this idea as it is a symbol of cunning. We see the mask motif echoed across time, from Greek theatre to commedia dell’arte, each era imbuing it with layers of cultural meaning. Here, its presence speaks to our shared, perhaps subconscious, understanding of deceit as a performance. The fox, that sly creature, has appeared in art and literature across time and civilizations, and it serves as a shorthand for cunning, and a constant reminder of humanity's complex relationship with guile. The act of masking, the fox at your feet… the artist speaks to a psychological landscape where appearances often obscure true intentions. This symbol of "la fourberie" invites us to reflect on our own relationship with illusion and reality.