XXIX Pulchrum quod utile 1614

"XXIX Pulchrum quod utile" (Beautiful what is useful) is an engraving by Dutch artist Roemer Visscher from 1614. It shows a mousetrap with a mouse caught in it. This image is part of a larger work called "Het Tweede Schock," a book of illustrations and texts about traps and how to avoid them. Visscher's detailed engraving captures the design of the trap and the helpless state of the mouse, making it a clear example of the Dutch tradition of "vanitas" - a reflection on the fleeting nature of life. The engraving is now housed at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.