Mirror of Sin: Allegory of Pride by Hendrick Goltzius

A sumptuously dressed dandy poses confidently in the center, embodying the sin of Pride as he holds a wilting flower. This central figure is framed by six female personifications of vice, each accompanied by traditional attributes such as the snakes of Envy or the money bags of Avarice. Moralizing inscriptions in Latin and German surround the scene, warning the viewer that worldly elegance masks internal corruption and that recognizing one's sins does not exempt one from divine punishment.

This work represents the late 16th-century Northern European preoccupation with moral self-knowledge and the Neo-Stoic rejection of worldly vanity. It reflects the intellectual environment of Haarlem, where artists like Goltzius used elaborate allegories to explore the tension between outward appearances and spiritual reality.

Inscriptions(Latin)

COGNITIO PECCATORVM VTILIS, POENAM TAMEN TOLLERE NEQVIT. Es hat die Hofart nit allein Die zart und schon jungffrawlein Gantz eingenomen, sonder auch Diss fallend blum und fauler rauch Vil jung gesellen schendtlich truckt, Auswendigh uber maes geschmuckt Und doch nix mehr von binnen sein Dan wueste wurm und dotenbein. Der Hofart brauch sich niemants vil Wer Got und menschen gfallen wil. Dem gibt sie aber frischen muth Des Sachans gunst wer suchen thut. Sum felix, quis enim neget hoc? felixque manebo. Hoc quoque quis dubitet? tutum me copia fecit. Maior sum quam cui possit fortuna nocere. Inquinat egregios sic foeda Superbia mores, Dira lues, vitium rebus solemne secundis, Vir tutumque ingrata comes. quam dulce venenum! Foemineum torquens sexum pariterque virilem. Vermiculis o es ca futura, o putre cadauer! Cum fex cumque simus, cum res turpissima simus, Unde superbimus, nescimus quando perimus. Der Sündt erkantnuss ist wol gut, kan aber nicht Die straeff hinnemen, drumb schertzet nit mit Gotts gericht. Was in der Welt verborgen bleibt und ubersehn, Wirdt dem gestrengen vrtheil Gottes nicht entgehn. GVLA AVARITIA LVXVRIA INVIDIA IRA PIGRITIA HG excudit

Translation

KNOWLEDGE OF SINS IS USEFUL,
YET IT CANNOT REMOVE THE PUNISHMENT.

Pride has not only
Taken complete possession
Of tender and beautiful maidens, but also
This falling flower and foul smoke
Disgracefully presses many young fellows,
Outwardly adorned beyond measure
And yet inwardly nothing more
Than desolate worms and dead men's bones.
Let no one take much pleasure in pride
Who wishes to please God and men.
But to him who seeks to pursue
Satan's favor, it gives fresh spirit.

I am happy, for who could deny this? And happy
I shall remain. Who could doubt this, too? Abundance has made
me secure. I am greater than one whom
fortune can harm. Thus foul Pride defiles
noble character, a dire plague,
a vice accustomed to prosperous times,
the ungrateful companion of virtue. What sweet
poison! Tormenting the female sex
and likewise the male. You are food for
future worms, O putrid corpse! Since we are dregs
and the most base of things,
whence comes our pride, not knowing
when we perish.

The recognition of sin is indeed good, but it cannot
Take away the punishment, therefore do not trifle with God's judgment.
What remains hidden and overlooked in the world
Will not escape the stern judgment of God.

GLUTTONY
AVARICE
LUST
ENVY
WRATH
SLOTH
HG printed this

Mirror of Sin: Allegory of Pride

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