De brede en de smalle weg: allegorie op de menselijke levensloop 1540 - 1590

Frans Hogenberg's "De brede en de smalle weg: allegorie op de menselijke levensloop" is a 16th-century engraving that allegorically depicts the journey of life through the choice between the "broad way" of sin and the "narrow way" of virtue. The detailed scene features figures in various stages of their earthly journey, including an angel guiding a young woman towards the narrow way and figures indulging in worldly pleasures on the broad way. The text surrounding the figures provides moral commentary on the choices depicted. This captivating piece, currently housed in the Rijksmuseum, offers a glimpse into the moral anxieties of its time through a richly symbolic composition.