The Enticement of Luxury, from The Course of Human Life 1570

Pieter Jalhea Furnius made this print, *The Enticement of Luxury*, in the Netherlands around 1570, using engraving. It's one of a series called *The Course of Human Life.* This image visualizes the dangers of succumbing to worldly pleasures. A rider, perhaps representing humanity, is lured by Luxury, depicted as a seductive figure. The rider's horse veers towards a precipice, symbolizing the downfall awaiting those who indulge in excess. The print reflects the social and religious anxieties of its time. The Dutch Republic was undergoing significant economic expansion, but this prosperity was accompanied by moral concerns about the corrupting influence of wealth. Artists and writers explored these anxieties through allegorical imagery like this. The Latin text reinforces the print's didactic message, reminding viewers of the consequences of vice. Analyzing such prints within their historical context allows us to understand the complex relationship between art, morality, and social change in 16th-century Europe. For further information, look into iconographic studies and social histories of the Northern Renaissance.