De gevolgen van drankzucht Possibly 1590 - 1652

This is an engraving titled "De gevolgen van drankzucht", or "The Consequences of Drunkenness," made by an anonymous artist. The intricate network of etched lines constructs a scene dominated by an older man, his figure slumped in what appears to be a ramshackle dwelling. The composition emphasizes the subject's physical decline through the arrangement of forms. Note how the artist uses hatching and cross-hatching to create a rich texture, detailing the man's worn clothing and the rough surfaces of the surrounding environment. His hand supporting his head, along with the array of objects – a pipe, a basket, and remnants of a meal – create a tableau of dissipation. The image functions as a moral lesson, using visual elements to signify the ravages of intemperance. The dense, almost claustrophobic arrangement of lines evokes a sense of decay, suggesting a world collapsing under its own excesses. The open-ended narrative implied within this work invites us to contemplate the complex interplay between individual action and broader social decay.