Vroomheid 1610

"Vroomheid" (piety) is an etching by Willem van Swanenburg created in 1610. This artwork, now in the Rijksmuseum, depicts a female figure, likely representing Piety, holding a scroll and a palm branch while being crowned with rays of light. A cherub flies above her, carrying a laurel wreath. The composition is dynamic, with diagonal lines drawing the viewer's eye across the image. The intricate details and the use of light and shadow are characteristic of Swanenburg's work and the Northern Renaissance. The artist's short life (1581-1612) is reflected in the youthful dynamism of the work.