Reverse Copy of Le Gentilhomme Enroulé dans son Manteau Bordé de Fourrures (The Gentleman Wrapped in his Fur Lined Mantle), from La Noblesse (The Nobility) 1625 - 1700

This print depicts a figure, stooped and aged, leaning on a staff. Note the way the coins fall through their hands; a gesture of helplessness. This image, while seemingly simple, echoes through the corridors of art history. Consider the recurring motif of old age and poverty in Renaissance art, particularly in depictions of saints or allegorical figures. The figure's posture, head bowed and hands open, reminds one of images of repentance or supplication. The open hand, common in religious art to signify either giving or receiving, takes on a starkly different connotation here; it shows not generosity or grace, but loss. This gesture, laden with centuries of religious symbolism, is now subverted, reflecting a shift in societal attitudes toward poverty and aging. It serves as a poignant reminder of the cyclical nature of human experience.