Kuisheid overwint Liefde 1550 - 1625

"Kuisheid overwint Liefde" (Chastity Conquers Love), an etching by Pieter Jalhea Furnius (1545-1610), depicts a powerful scene of allegorical struggle. A figure representing Chastity, clad in modest attire, sits triumphantly atop the defeated figure of Cupid, the Roman god of love. The scene, likely inspired by classical mythology, is set within a detailed landscape, emphasizing the thematic tension between passion and virtue. This artwork, which dates to between 1550 and 1625, is a prime example of the use of allegorical imagery in Northern Renaissance art, a period marked by a growing interest in philosophical and moral themes.