Young man asleep on the ground between two female figures, 1994,0514.57

A young knight in armor sleeps on his shield beneath a laurel tree, flanked by two women representing different paths of life. The figure on the left holds a sword and a book, symbolizing the active and contemplative lives of Virtue, while the figure on the right offers a flowering sprig, representing the life of Pleasure. The paper is covered in tiny pinpricks along the outlines, a technique used by Renaissance artists to transfer the design to a wooden panel.

This allegory illustrates the Neoplatonic concept of the 'triplex vita' (the three-fold life), which sought to harmonize the active, contemplative, and pleasurable aspects of human existence. It reflects the humanist interest in the 'Choice of Hercules' and the 'Dream of Scipio,' themes popularized by the writings of Macrobius and Silius Italicus.