Moral Emblems: Inconstant France

Engraving, part of a set of 20 moral emblems, each designated by a letter of the alphabet. The set was designed by Jean Delaune and engraved by his father, Étienne Delaune, in 1580. It explores the theme of vanity in mundane things, denouncing the artifices of the world (beauty, pleasure, luxury...), and praising virtue. This print represents the inconstancy and fragility of France in the form of a woman, on the left, perched on a ball that floats on the water, an attribute that would correspond to fortune. A philosopher stands on the river bank, on the right, and seems to be talking to the female figure. In the background, two armies are making a pact in front of a city on fire, illustrating the absurdity of contradictions engendered by inconstancy. It is likely that the artists are making a direct reference to France and the war religions it led, which affected them directly. The print might also suggest the opposition between the male character of constancy and the feminine character of fickleness.