The Five Senses: Hearing (Auditus)

Etching, part of a series of five oval prints with depictions of the five senses, represented by standing women with attributes, surrounded by landscapes. In the print, Hearing (auditus) is represented by a bare-chested woman standing with her right hand behind her ear, and holding a lute on her left hand. To her feet, in front of a table, to the left, are a lira or zither, and to the right a small rodent and a pig. Musical instruments, particularly the lute, are attributes of hearing, but also of Sensuality, an allusion that is reinforced by the presence of the pig, symbol of Luxury, Greed, and Laziness. It is likely that Delaune associated Hearing and the pleasure of listening to music with Sensuality, which, in turn, is reminiscent of insanity and overindulgence, as suggested by the bare chost of the female figure and the gesture she is making with her hand. The presence of the lira or zither might allude to the idea of moderation or trascendence through art.