The Triumph of Envy 1564

Curator: Cornelis Cort's "The Triumph of Envy" is a densely packed engraving, a parade of… well, unpleasantries. The plate, dating from the late 16th century, measures about 22 by 30 centimeters. Editor: My first thought? Claustrophobia! It feels like everything's crammed together, those figures practically tripping over each other. Talk about a bad trip. Curator: The material here is crucial. As an engraving, it would have been easily reproduced and disseminated, making Cort's vision of envy widely accessible to a burgeoning print market. Editor: Accessible, yes, but it's also fascinating how Envy is depicted—this wild-haired figure gnawing on… something. The whole scene is theatrical, almost grotesque. Like a morality play gone haywire. Curator: Exactly. And the context matters: Cort was working during a period of intense religious and political upheaval. Envy, in this light, becomes a metaphor for social discord. Editor: So, it's not just a personal failing, but a societal ill. Makes the image a lot less… campy, and a lot more relevant. Curator: Precisely. Looking closely, we see the careful craftmanship behind the rendering of texture and detail, testament to engraving as a means of both art and social commentary. Editor: Still, all I can think is I wouldn't want to be stuck in that chariot. Curator: A testament to its enduring power, then. Editor: I guess some things, like really bad vibes, transcend time.