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Original file1592ca. The Scales of Marriage - etching - 24.2 x 17.1 cm - Washington DC, NGA
after Hendrick Goltzius
About This Work
A young woman sits on the left pan of a scale holding a treasure chest of coins, while a young man on the right pan reaches into his money bag as their fathers or guardians observe the balance. In the foreground, a dejected Cupid walks away with his bow, signaling that love has been excluded from the transaction. The intricate engraving style reflects the late 16th-century Dutch interest in moralizing social satires regarding wealth and domestic life.
This work reflects Northern Humanist social critique, specifically the subversion of virtue and love by material greed in marriage contracts. It aligns with the satirical tradition of Erasmus of Rotterdam, who critiqued the triumph of Plutus (wealth) over genuine piety and faith in his philosophical writings.