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Original fileFalse Illusion Ruins the World
De valse waan ruïneert de wereld De waarheid verborgen door leugen Verkeerde overtuiging richt de wereld te gronde (serietitel)
after Hendrick Goltzius
About This Work
A central nude woman representing Truth stands amidst classical ruins while a dark, silhouetted figure places a mask over her face. Behind her, a bearded man and a woman work together to drape a heavy cloak over her, symbolizing the obscuring of reality. The scene is set in a desolate landscape of crumbling arches and temples, suggesting the decay of a world that has lost sight of the truth.
This engraving reflects the moral and philosophical teachings of the Dutch humanist Dirck Volckertsz Coornhert, who designed the image. It illustrates the Neoplatonic and Stoic struggle between 'Aletheia' (Truth) and 'Doxa' (Opinion), a central theme in Renaissance natural philosophy and the pursuit of spiritual clarity against worldly deception.