A Proverb; Wealth and Poverty
mid-16th-early 17th century
Karel van Mander, often called the 'Vasari of the North' for writing the first major biography of Netherlandish artists, captures a stark social contrast here. Two men, dressed in decent hats and collars, sit comfortably at a wooden block, seemingly enjoying a meal, while a ragged, barefoot elder leans on his staff nearby. The Dutch text scrawled at the bottom reveals this is an illustration of a proverb, likely commenting on the gap between the haves and have-nots. It's a classic example of Northern Mannerism, using expressive, scratchy lines to tell a moralizing story about wealth and poverty.
- Technique
- Pen and ink with wash
- Material
- Paper
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