De Nieuwsgierigheid 1687

"De Nieuwsgierigheid," created in 1687 by Italian artist Giuseppe Maria Mitelli, is an etching on paper depicting a woman personifying curiosity. Her body is nearly naked except for her flowing drapery, and she gazes upwards, her hair and clothing billowing around her. The composition is divided into three parts: a central figure and two columns of text framing her on either side. The text lists a series of events and victories of Christian armies against Turkish and rebel forces, adding an allegorical layer to the artwork. The etching is currently part of the Rijksmuseum collection in Amsterdam.