Engel met lans, spons en dobbelstenen c. 1581 - 1645

"Engel met lans, spons en dobbelstenen" (Angel with Lance, Sponge and Dice) is an etching by the Flemish artist Karel van Mallery, created between 1581 and 1645. The etching, housed at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, depicts an angel with wings, holding a lance and a sponge. The inscription beneath the angel reads "Spongia fel, tunicam talus, fert has ta cruorem. Hic pota, hic lude, hic te tege, teg3 fode" (The sponge, the tunic, the dice, bear the blood. Here you drink, here you play, here you cover yourself, cover yourself). The artwork is characteristic of the Flemish Baroque period, known for its dramatic use of light and shadow, intricate detail, and emphasis on emotion and religious themes.