Fabel van de ezel en zijn drie meesters

This engraving depicts a scene from a moral fable where a laborer brutally drives an overburdened donkey. In the upper left corner, a divine figure—likely Jupiter—emerges from turbulent clouds to witness the donkey's plight or hear its complaint. The composition utilizes dramatic line work to emphasize the physical strain of the animal and the aggressive posture of the master.

Created by the court engraver to Rudolf II, this work belongs to a tradition that transformed Aesopic fables into sophisticated moral emblems. These images explored the nature of suffering and divine providence, themes central to the Stoic and Neoplatonic currents flowing through the intellectual circles of the Prague court.