The cardinal virtue of Prudence represented by a seated woman holding a snake in her right hand (possibly a modern impression) 1475 - 1485

This print at the Metropolitan Museum of Art depicts the cardinal virtue of Prudence with a seated woman holding a snake. The anonymous artist presents a somber scene through dense, cross-hatched lines, creating a contrast between light and shadow. The sharp, dark lines define the figure against a stark background, evoking a sense of gravity. The woman's poised stillness is charged by the symbolic tension of the snake, traditionally associated with knowledge and caution. The formal composition—the woman seated centrally within the trapezoid frame—creates a balanced figure. This echoes the classical ideals of measure and control central to the concept of prudence. The act of holding the snake becomes an emblem for the intellectual labor required to discern truth from falsehood. Here, the medium reinforces the message: the deliberate, careful mark-making mirrors the thoughtful consideration that prudence demands. This visual rhetoric invites us to consider how virtues are not merely abstract ideals, but active practices embodied and communicated through art.