Allegorie op de grip van Onwetendheid op de mensheid en de redding van de mensheid 1441 - 1506

"Allegory on the Grip of Ignorance on Mankind and the Salvation of Mankind" is an engraving created by Andrea Mantegna between 1441 and 1506. The piece, now held in the Rijksmuseum, depicts two scenes separated by a stone structure. In the upper scene, human figures are led by a satyr, who plays a pipe, and another figure who carries a stick. The figures are blindfolded by a bag or cloth over their heads. The lower scene shows a figure offering his hand to those trapped within a stone structure, suggesting the act of salvation and redemption. This powerful allegory, executed in Mantegna's characteristic meticulous detail, emphasizes the themes of ignorance, salvation, and the struggle against darkness.