Hoogmoed (Superbia) - Johann Theodor de Bry

A detailed sixteenth-century engraving by Johann Theodor de Bry depicting the allegorical figure of Pride, surrounded by symbols of worldly vanity.

This engraving by Johann Theodor de Bry depicts the personification of Superbia, or Pride, one of the seven deadly sins. The figure is presented as a woman of high status, adorned in the elaborate fashion of the late sixteenth century. She wears a stiffened ruff, a structured bodice, and a voluminous gown, reflecting the sartorial excesses of the period. Her vanity is communicated through her accessories: she holds a peacock-feather fan and wears a crown topped with an orb, symbols often associated with worldly power and self-regard.

The composition is dense with symbolic elements. To her right, a peacock stands near a smoking incense burner, reinforcing the theme of pride. In the background, a garden setting features a fountain and figures engaged in leisure, contrasting the individual's preoccupation with self-image against the broader context of earthly vanity. The Latin inscription at the base, 'GLORIA TOTIVS RES EST VANISSIMA MVNDI', translates to 'The glory of the whole world is a most vain thing', which provides the moralising framework for the image.

De Bry, a member of a prominent family of engravers and publishers, utilised precise line work to render the textures of the fabric, the metallic sheen of the jewellery, and the architectural details of the background. The engraving belongs to a series exploring moral themes, common in Northern European print culture of the era. The work functions as a visual sermon, warning the viewer against the dangers of worldly attachment and the fleeting nature of human achievement. The technical execution demonstrates the high level of craftsmanship associated with the de Bry workshop, which was instrumental in the dissemination of allegorical and historical imagery across Europe during the late Renaissance.