Bombario door de Dood weggeleid, 1720 1721

This engraving, titled Bombario door de Dood weggeleid, was created in 1720 by an anonymous artist. The print captures the feverish atmosphere of the financial markets of the early 18th century, a world consumed by speculation and, as the title suggests, haunted by death. We see a procession of figures, led by Death, with the central figure, Bombario, presumably representing the speculators and the frenzy that defined the era. It serves as a moralizing commentary on the ephemeral nature of wealth. The artist remains unknown, yet their work speaks volumes about the societal anxieties surrounding financial innovation and the speculative bubbles of the time. By personifying “Bombario” and leading him to death, the artist crafts a narrative that intertwines the economic with the existential. The print is a reminder that the pursuit of wealth is often shadowed by the specter of mortality and moral consequence.