Misbruik van het eigendomsrecht c. 1593 - 1597

This print, “Misbruik van het eigendomsrecht,” was made around 1606 by Cornelis Galle I, using engraving, a process that uses a tool called a burin to carve an image into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed. The sharp, precise lines of engraving are perfect for the allegorical subject matter, and the way it critiques social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. In this image, we see the effects of laziness and greed as the wolf-headed figure is offered a model house by a man named “Lareifes”, or thief. The amount of work and skill involved in the production process is considerable, yet here it illustrates idleness and ruin. It's a reminder that the true value of art lies not just in its aesthetic qualities, but in its power to provoke thought and conversation about the world around us, and in so doing challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.