Levenstrap 1600 - 1661

"Levenstrap" is a 17th-century engraving by Frederik Bouttats that depicts a symbolic representation of the stages of human life. This detailed print, now in the Rijksmuseum, shows figures ascending a staircase, from birth to death, with each step signifying different life experiences. The central figure, a young child, represents innocence and vulnerability. The print is a classic example of the Dutch Golden Age's interest in moralizing imagery and the inevitability of the passage of time. The inscription, "The stairway of life," underscores the thematic focus on life's journey.