Exempel und Lehr Jetziger Welt Lauf Possibly 1622

Andreas Bretschneider created this engraving, “Exempel und Lehr Jetziger Welt Lauf,” which translates to "Example and Lesson of the Current World," sometime between the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The artwork reflects the social anxieties of the time, particularly around issues of wealth, health, and morality. We see a well-dressed man examining the palm of a woman marked by the ravages of disease, possibly syphilis. Her pockmarked face and the sores on her hands serve as a stark reminder of the consequences of immoral behavior, a common theme in didactic art of this period. The contrast between the man's fine attire and the woman's sickly appearance highlights the disparities in social status and the era's complex relationship with disease and poverty. The image serves as a moral lesson, reflecting a society grappling with anxieties about social order and the perceived decline of moral values. It prompts us to reflect on the historical context in which it was created and its continued resonance in contemporary discussions about health, morality, and social justice.