Nederigheid 1551

This is 'Humility,' an engraving made by Heinrich Aldegrever in the first half of the sixteenth century, now held at the Rijksmuseum. The composition arranges a central allegorical figure within a complex field of textures and symbolic objects. The figure, presumably Humility, stands tall, bearing a standard, while at her feet lies a lamb amidst discarded objects. The engraving is dominated by a dense network of fine lines, which create subtle tonal variations and textures, from the soft wool of the lamb to the intricate details of the heraldic crest. Aldegrever’s mastery of line and form, combined with the density of symbolic content, invites a semiotic reading where each element—the lamb, the discarded objects, the heraldic crest—serves as a signifier within a larger cultural discourse on virtue and morality. The composition encourages a dialogue between the visual and the conceptual, destabilizing any straightforward interpretation and inviting ongoing interpretation.