Dwaze maagd met uitgedoofde olielamp in landschap 1518

This woodcut shows a foolish virgin with an extinguished oil lamp, made by Niklaus Manuel Deutsch around 1518. The extinguished lamp and other abandoned items are allusions to the biblical parable of the wise and foolish virgins, a cautionary tale about preparedness and vigilance. This motif of the neglected lamp, of course, echoes through history, appearing in varied forms in different contexts, each time carrying a slightly altered message. Like the Ancient Greek depiction of Kairos—the fleeting god of opportunity who must be seized quickly—here, the virgin’s neglect symbolizes a broader cultural anxiety about time slipping away. There’s a palpable sense of loss and regret in the virgin’s averted gaze, the very pose reminiscent of Eve expelled from Paradise. It evokes a sense of collective guilt and the psychological weight of missed opportunities. The extinguished lamp serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of neglecting one's duties, a symbol that resurfaces time and again in our collective consciousness.