Moral Emblems: The Causes and Effects of a Battle
Engraved by Etienne Delaune French
Designed by Jean Delaune French
Not on view
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 a battle scene across the center, taking place in front of a village on fire, depicted on the upper left part of the print. The scene is being commented by a male philosopher in classical garb, reclining on a tree on the right, possibly condemning the insatiable desire of humans, which engenders wars for power, based on envy and lust.
