The Lament of the Art of Painting 1579

"The Lament of the Art of Painting" is a 1579 etching by Cornelis Cort. It depicts a scene of lamentation for the art of painting. In the upper part of the etching, a group of allegorical figures, representing various arts and sciences, mourn over a fallen female figure, symbolizing painting. In the lower section, a seated figure, likely a painter, contemplates the loss while a nude figure, representing the art of painting itself, ascends to heaven. The etching is a powerful testament to the beauty and fragility of artistic expression.