De vijf zintuigen

A woman in an elaborate lace ruff and decorative bodice plays a keyboard instrument, while a man looks on from behind holding a stringed instrument. In the shaded background to the left, a stag—a traditional symbol of acute hearing—is visible among the trees. The work is rendered with the dense, swelling lines and intricate textures characteristic of late 16th-century Dutch engraving.

This print is part of a series on the five senses, a common theme in Renaissance natural philosophy used to explore the relationship between the human soul and the material world. It carries a moralizing message, warning that while music is a reflection of celestial harmony, the physical senses can lead to spiritual distraction if not governed by reason.