The Triumph of Riches - Cornelis Cort

A detailed 1565 allegorical engraving by Cornelis Cort depicting the moral dangers of wealth through complex symbolism and precise line work.

The Triumph of Riches is a complex allegorical engraving by Cornelis Cort, based on a design by Maarten van Heemskerck. Produced in 1565, the work functions as a moralising commentary on the corrupting nature of wealth. The composition centres on a chariot representing Glory, which is pulled by horses draped in fabrics adorned with human faces. These figures symbolise the various vices associated with the pursuit of material gain, such as fraud and rapine.

At the helm of the chariot sits Dolus, or Deceit, holding a whip, while Superbia, or Pride, occupies a prominent position atop the vehicle, clutching a crown. The scene is populated by numerous personified figures, each labelled with Latin inscriptions to clarify their symbolic roles, including Usury, Betrayal, and Lust. The background features a rugged, mountainous terrain that contrasts with the busy, crowded foreground of the procession.

Cort, a master of the burin, employs precise, rhythmic hatching to define the textures of the drapery, the musculature of the horses, and the varied expressions of the allegorical figures. The work reflects the intellectual climate of the sixteenth-century Netherlands, where humanistic inquiry often merged with Christian moral instruction. The lower section of the print contains a cartouche with Latin text, which provides a narrative key to the iconography displayed above. This engraving is part of a series that explores the consequences of human folly, demonstrating the technical skill that earned Cort his reputation as a significant printmaker of the period.