Greed Breaks the Bag ("La codicia rompe el saco") 1807 - 1845

Leonardo Alenza made this pen and ink drawing titled "Greed Breaks the Bag" in nineteenth-century Spain, at a time of great social and political upheaval. The print powerfully critiques the unbridled pursuit of wealth. We see a group of figures consumed by avarice, frantically tearing at a bag filled with riches. The composition teeters on the edge of chaos. With its grotesque caricatures and stark contrasts, it speaks to the artist's views on the corruption that plagued Spanish society. Alenza was active during the reign of Ferdinand VII, an era marked by political repression. The image invites us to consider the social conditions that shape artistic production. To understand Alenza's critique fully, one could explore period sources such as political pamphlets, newspapers, and literary works. Art like this reminds us that meaning is never fixed but is contingent on social and institutional contexts.