Vrijgevigheid overwint Gierigheid 1550 - 1625

Pieter Jalhea Furnius created this print, "Vrijgevigheid overwint Gierigheid", which translates to "Generosity Overcoming Greed" sometime between 1545 and 1610. During this period, the Dutch Republic was emerging as a major commercial power, leading to intense debates about wealth, morality, and social responsibility. Here, we see a female allegorical figure who represents generosity, gracefully seated, almost enthroned. Beneath her, another female figure lies prostrate, embodying avarice or greed. The figure of generosity is depicted distributing coins to a kneeling recipient, symbolizing the virtuous act of giving. In this image, Furnius engages with the complex relationship between economic prosperity and moral virtue. How are we to read these gendered representations of moral concepts? The triumph of generosity over greed suggests a desire to integrate a sense of social responsibility with the burgeoning economic power of the Dutch Republic. This print isn't just a moral lesson; it's a reflection on how a society grapples with its values in times of rapid change, and reminds us of the ongoing tension between personal wealth and the common good.