Lykkens Tempel 1798

"Lykkens Tempel" (Temple of Fortune), a 1798 etching by Danish artist J.F. Clemens, depicts a satirical scene of a group of people ascending the steps to a temple. The inscription above the entrance reads "TEMPLVM MORTALVM" (Mortal Temple). The figures, dressed in various costumes and social roles, appear to be climbing towards fortune while others stumble and fall. The piece humorously critiques the pursuit of wealth and status, highlighting the folly of those who seek it with reckless abandon. This etching, now housed in the SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst, is a testament to Clemens’s keen observation of social behavior and his use of symbolism and satire to explore the complexities of human desire.