Gierigheid (Avaritia) 1539 - 1543

This engraving, made by Georg Pencz around the mid-16th century, depicts Avarice, or Greed, as a winged figure standing before a treasure chest overflowing with coins. Avarice is blindfolded, a potent symbol indicating the irrational and indiscriminate nature of greed. The unsettling bat wings sprouting from her back suggest a descent into darkness and a connection with base instincts. The blindfold, a symbol of ignorance, takes us back to depictions of Fortuna, the Roman goddess of fortune, often shown blind, distributing luck without reason. Yet, in Pencz’s image, the gesture is inverted, as it embodies a moral deficiency. The coins, here symbols of material wealth, echo in diverse eras, reminding us of the golden calf from biblical narratives. In each context, they act as an emotional trigger, warning us of the dangers of unchecked desire. It speaks to an enduring, if subconscious, human tendency to seek fulfillment through material accumulation. It highlights the cyclical nature of human folly, ever resurfacing, adapting, yet fundamentally unchanged.