De afgunstige vrouw 1675

Giuseppe Maria Mitelli created this etching, "The Envious Woman," using ink on paper. Observe the central figure, her hair wild, a hand clutching her head in what seems like anguish, and a cloak draping her form. Beside her, an eagle sits perched on a stump. The eagle, a symbol often associated with power, royalty, or even divine strength, here takes on a darker hue, embodying the destructive force of envy. We see the eagle also as an attribute of the vice Invidia in Cesare Ripa’s Iconologia. This transformation of symbols reminds us that meaning is not fixed; it shifts and adapts across time, reflecting the psychological states they aim to portray. Envy, a primal emotion, resurfaces throughout art history, revealing the depths of human experience. Like a recurring dream, its representation evolves, yet its essence remains a potent reminder of our shared subconscious struggles.