Abuse of Property Rights

A beast-headed monster sits on a throne, devouring a platter holding a house and land offered by a man labeled 'Litigiosus.' To the right, two women representing the negligence of home and time look on, while in the dark background, a figure representing the negligence of the soul is suspended from a hook. The monster holds a swaddled infant labeled 'Lawsuit begetting lawsuits,' illustrating the self-perpetuating cycle of legal strife.

This print reflects the Northern Renaissance's moralizing tradition and its intersection with Neoplatonic and Stoic concerns regarding the 'Negligence of the Soul.' It warns that the pursuit of material justice through endless legal conflict consumes the vital resources of time and spiritual health, a common theme in the humanist circles of Haarlem.