Poverty, from Virtues and Vices 1596 - 1597

This is Zacharias Dolendo's engraving, "Poverty, from Virtues and Vices," made sometime between 1580 and 1604. The composition immediately draws us in with its stark portrayal of destitution, rendered through meticulous lines and contrasting textures. The central figure, burdened with a child, dominates the foreground. Dolendo uses the etched line to convey a sense of weight and weariness. Notice how the lines form deep shadows that contour her haggard face and tattered clothes. A young boy beside her carries a basket. The landscape behind is sparse, punctuated by ominous skies. Dolendo’s strategic use of light and shadow serves a semiotic function. The darks deepen the emotional impact and the symbolic meaning of the scene as a landscape of the soul. The angular lines of the rain and ragged clothing destabilize any sense of ease, reinforcing the harshness of the depicted subject.