A detailed sixteenth-century engraving depicting the biblical parable of the Great Banquet, showcasing the technical precision of Dutch printmaking.

This engraving by Dirck Volckertsz. Coornhert, after a design by Maarten van Heemskerck, illustrates the biblical parable of the Great Banquet found in Luke 14:20. The Latin inscription at the base, 'Uxorem duxi, et ideo non possum venire', translates to 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come'. This scene depicts the third excuse offered by a guest invited to the feast, who prioritises his domestic life over the spiritual invitation.

Coornhert employs a precise, linear technique characteristic of mid-sixteenth-century Dutch printmaking. The composition is structured around a central figure of a nobleman, dressed in contemporary sixteenth-century attire, who gestures towards a messenger. To the right, his wife sits upon a stone bench, positioned near a herm or classical bust, which adds a layer of humanist symbolism to the domestic setting. A dog sits between the couple, serving as a traditional emblem of fidelity. The background features an architectural landscape with arched bridges and buildings, rendered with a sense of depth that draws the eye into the distance.

Van Heemskerck's influence is evident in the muscularity of the figures and the elaborate, somewhat theatrical drapery of the clothing. The print functions as both a moralising narrative and a display of technical skill in copperplate engraving. The cross-hatching and varied line weights define the textures of the stone, the fabric of the garments, and the atmospheric quality of the urban environment. As a piece of Northern Renaissance art, it reflects the period's interest in combining classical motifs with Christian didacticism, providing a window into the visual culture of the Netherlands during the Reformation era.