Allegorie op Genade before 1580

"Allegorie op Genade," a 16th-century engraving by the Flemish artist Johannes Wierix, is a striking example of religious art from the Renaissance period. This small-scale artwork depicts a seated female figure, likely representing Mercy, offering a dove to a small boy while a second child looks on. The scene is framed by the Ten Commandments inscribed on stone tablets and a group of people in the background, suggesting the contrast between divine grace and human frailty. The use of strong contrasts between light and dark, and the dramatic composition, are characteristic of Wierix's work.